In a moment he was fast asleep. The interpreter, who
seemed to be general factotum to Serano, shook him roughly by the
shoulder.

"Come, come, you have your gold, now show us the passage."

The man roused himself and looked stupidly around the room. By chance
his eyes rested upon the big slab in the wall, but he could not see it.
Still he raised his bony finger either by intuition or luck, and pointed
directly at it.

"It is there," he said, and his head dropped again.

Mr. Wyman shuddered. The scene was a gruesome one, and the possibility
that the man might disclose the passage was so imminent that his nerves
were at their greatest tension. All hope of clearing the boys of the
charge of being Cuban spies it seemed would be lost if the old man's
mind should clear sufficiently for him to indicate the secret spring.

"Yes, yes, it is there, old man, but where is the spring?"

Again he raised his head and looked blankly at the wall, and then once
more his head drooped.

"I cannot remember," he murmured. Mr. Wyman drew a long breath. It was
at least another respite. There was a sound of clanking chains in the
jail corridor. The old man trembled and raised his head feebly.

"What's that?" he whispered. "Chains?"

Again the sound was heard.

"Yes, yes, they're coming. Quick, we'll chain him down--chain him hand
and foot. Quick--open the passage."

He struggled to his feet and tottered to the wall. For a moment he
groped in blindness, while the boys held their breath and then, with a
low chuckle he placed his finger unerringly on the little diamond-shaped
stone. The creaking and grinding noise began, and the stone slowly
revolved before the astonished eyes of General Serano. When the passage
was fully open the general stepped to the wall and inspected it
curiously. Then he turned to Mr. Wyman and said:

"The case against the accused is complete. You may inform them that the
sentence imposed will be carried out unless they make a full confession
before sundown to-night."

"And I, General Serano, knowing that they are innocent of any connection
with the cause of the insurgents, warn you in the name of their
Government that you will commit an outrage for which you must pay
dearly. I shall communicate with General Weyler at once."

Serano shrugged his shoulders.

"General Weyler has the utmost confidence in my judgment."

"Will you suspend sentence until I can communicate with my Government?"

"No. Your Gover