passage and Bert promptly touched the spring
that closed it. The heavy stone moved slowly back into place and Bert
was alone.

He had no watch, so he counted the seconds. The ten minutes seemed an
hour to him. At last they passed and he opened the passage again. For
some reason he expected to see Harry and the young woman climb through,
but only the form of the boy appeared in the gloom. He waited a moment
to be sure that the girl did not follow, and then closed the passage. As
the stone settled into place, the form moved quickly to the door and
rapped three times. Almost instantly it swung open and the jailor with
his lantern stood without. As the boy's form glided silently out past
the stolid turnkey, Bert started back and with difficulty suppressed a
cry of amazement. For a moment the light of the lantern had fallen on
the face of the form in the doorway.

CHAPTER XVII

"YOU WILL BE SHOT AS SPIES"

When Bert had somewhat recovered from his surprise, he rushed to the
wall and pressed the spring to open the passage. A form in girl's
clothes climbed quickly through, but it was the voice of Harry that
whispered:

"Hustle, Bert, and close the passage. No telling when they may discover
that the bird has flown. I must get under cover with these duds on."

He jumped into bed and drew the sheet up close around his neck.

"I'm quite ill, you know; sudden attack of malaria. Can't receive any
callers."

"Has Miss Juanita gone to see the consul?" asked Bert.

"Not unless the consul has taken a trip to the mountains."

"What do you mean--why don't you let me in on your plot now that you
seem to have carried it out successfully?"

"Can't be sure of success just yet, but I think it will work."

"And when do we get out?"

"I don't know; maybe we are in it tighter than ever. Sure to be if they
find that we or rather I had anything to do with her escape, and I guess
they must sooner or later."

"Where has she gone?"

"I hope by this time she is pretty well out of the town, headed for the
open between here and the mountains. In the darkness she is all right
and the deception will not be discovered. She makes a very good boy and
as she is about the same heighth as I am my clothes fit her first rate.
The pass will carry her through the lines all right and as she knows the
country like a book, I hope she may make the mountains and the road to
Cubitas before daylight. If she does she is safe, and I have a strong