BURIED ALIVE
"Well, if you're a friend, step forward and let us see what you look
like," challenged Ned, turning in the direction from whence the strange
voice proceeded. "You needn't be afraid to show your face."
"I'm not the one who is afraid," was the reply.
"We're not afraid, if that's what you mean," retorted the lad.
A chuckle from the newcomer was the only response.
"Are you coming forward?" asked Ned in a rather impatient tone, for his
experiences of the last few moments had been enough to cause him to be
slightly irritable. "I'd like to see you."
As the lad spoke he peered eagerly toward the blackness surrounding
himself and his chums. Owing to the faintness of the flame from their
small fire, the darkness lying about them like a dense pall was too
great for his eyes to pierce. Try as he might, he could not
distinguish even the faintest outline of the stranger.
"If you are afraid of the rats or the Germans you might step over this
way and we'll go to a more convenient and pleasant place. This isn't a
cheerful spot," was the stranger's suggestion.
This invitation was received in silence by the three boys.
"Of course," the other continued, "if you prefer to remain here and
talk it over with the rodents, I have no objections."
"Perhaps we would rather take our own way out of here," Ned stated with
little friendliness in his voice.
"Perhaps," was the dry response from the utter darkness. "But," went
on the stranger, "you'd have a beautiful time doing it. There's only
one way out of this place except by the trap door through which you
came. Unless you're regular little derricks you can't move all that
rubbish piled on top of the trap door, and you'd not be apt to discover
the underground exit if you had the eyes of a hawk and an electric
light plant besides. Better come along."
Ned had not relaxed his clasp on the hands of his companions, and now
drew them closer to him. In a whisper he asked:
"What do you think, boys? Shall we do as he suggests?"
"Might as well," said Jack. "We can't be in much worse case than we
are now, and those rats might get good and ugly when they get wise to
our being here. I move we follow him."
"Second the motion, unless you've got a better suggestion," added
Harry. "This place is getting on my nerves. Let's go."
"I rather feel as if we ought not to go with this fellow unless he's
willing to show himself and let us get an idea who he is," Ned stated
in a hesitating way. "Perhaps you boys are right, but I don't feel at
all easy about it. Maybe he's trying to get us into a trap."
"That's so," agreed Harry. "At least if we remain where we are we'll
be no worse off than we would have been without him."
"You're right there," put in Jack, "but on the other hand we're in a
bad fix, and Jimmie's outside and needs us. This fellow's coming may
be just the chance for escape that we are wanting. Suppose we follow
him as he suggests and all the while remember our motto to 'Be
Prepared.' Wouldn't that be the proper course?"
"I guess you're right, Jack," Ned said with a sigh. "Perhaps I'm wrong
about it. I don't want to overlook a chance to help Jimmie and get
back to America. I'll withdraw my objections."
"All right, then, let's get started. Tell him so."
"Are you there?" Ned called out in a louder tone, addressing himself
toward the place from which the stranger's voice had come.
"I am for a minute," answered the other. "But I'm going now. If you
care to come with me I'll be glad to take you out of here."
"Where will you take us?" asked Ned, reluctant still to follow.
"That's something I cannot say right now. You'll find out."
"All right," consented the boy, starting forward. "But remember," he
cautioned, "we shall not relish anything in the way of tricks."
"Suspicious still, I see," laughed the other. "Well, follow this
light, and be careful how you step. There may be irregularities in the
floor that you'll have to discover for yourselves. It won't be safe to
do any talking for a while. The Germans are watchful."
The three boys were startled to observe a circle of light appear upon
the stone floor of the apartment at some little distance from the spot
where they were standing. It appeared to emanate from an electric
searchlight held in the hands of the stranger.
Ned took a step toward the light. Jack and Harry did likewise. Their
surprise increased as they observed that the light moved along the
floor at a pace about equal to their own.
Ned thought that he could faintly discern the feet of the person
carrying the light, but was unable to learn anything of the character
of the person. He was torn between his desire to escape from the
apartment and the wish to learn the identity of the stranger.
Only a few steps had been taken by the stranger before the light was
extinguished. Instantly the three boys halted.
"S-s-sh!" came a warning hiss. "Be mighty careful now of your
conversation and your footsteps. Keep as quiet as possible and follow
me closely. We are all in extreme danger!"
In spite of his efforts at self-control, Ned's muscles trembled and he
found it difficult to walk steadily. Assuming that his chums were in
like plight, the lad summoned all his courage and reached out a
reassuring hand to the others. The contact with his friends seemed to
restore the equilibrium that had been Ned's most valuable asset in
times of stress and danger in his many adventures.
Long afterwards the boy declared that in all his experiences that
compassed many strange and hazardous enterprises in the United States,
Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, China and other countries he had never
felt so keenly the need of aid as he did at that moment.
Not for long, however, were the boys permitted to consider the peril of
their position. Almost instantly they heard a faint grating sound
directly in front of them. A cold draught of damp, musty air struck
their faces, and they understood that a door had been opened into some
other apartment. The odor of the incoming air told them plainly that
the next apartment was also underground, and they surmised that it had
not recently been occupied.
"Come!" was the command borne to their ears in the faintest of whispers
from the person leading the way.
Unhesitatingly the lads advanced. Jack had taken but a couple of steps
before he collided with some solid object. The shock of contact
brought forth a grunt of surprise. At the same moment Harry went
through a similar experience. Ned met no resistance and nearly lost
his hold of the others before he recovered his balance.
"Gee!" Jack whispered, "I've hit a wall!"
"Here, too!" put in Harry, lowering his whisper to a mere breath.
"Single file, lock step," directed Ned.
Jack and Harry fell in behind their Scout Master obediently, and the
little party began groping its way along. Ned reached out a hand on
either side as he went forward. His hands came in contact with walls
that appeared to be made of stone. The dampness had gathered in great
drops on the surface. A slime had been deposited that made Ned shudder
as he felt it. He knew, however, that this was no time to permit an
interruption through squeamishness.
There was now no guiding light in advance, and the boys cautiously
picked their way along the stones, with Ned feeling every inch of the
way before he set his foot down. Directly the lad heard another
warning hiss. This time the sound was closer than formerly.
"Put your hand on my shoulder," came the whispered command.
Ned followed this instruction immediately. He judged by the height to
which he raised his hand to rest it upon the other's shoulder that the
stranger was a person of about his own build. His sense of touch also
told him that the other's clothing was of a material similar to the
khaki uniform he himself was wearing. A faint odor of gasoline and
grease assailed his nostrils, particularly distinguishable because of
the damp air in which the party was traveling.
Suddenly the boys were startled by the sound of an explosion that came
faintly to their ears. The earth in their vicinity trembled.
"What's that?" asked Ned in a whisper. "What's going on?"
"Hush!" replied the guide. "The Germans are making some improvements
in the town. They are blowing down some dangerous walls. Now keep as
quiet as you can and follow me. We'll have to hurry!"
Ned made no further attempt at conversation, but obediently gave his
entire attention to following the strange person in advance.
Before the little party had traversed the passage to any considerable
distance they heard several other explosions similar to the first. One
particularly louder than the others was followed by the sound of small
pieces of rock tumbling from the roof and walls of the passage. Ned
pressed still closer to his guide, while Jack and Harry needed no
urging to make them crowd up to Ned in their impatience.
Not far from the point where the boys had noticed the pieces of rock
falling the guide turned a corner abruptly. Ned wondered how he was
able in the intense blackness to distinguish so accurately the spot for
making the turn, but refrained from making any comment.
As he followed the guide around the corner the lad's foot struck
against an object lying on the floor. A metallic ring from the object
he had kicked caught the lad's attention. Slipping his hand quickly
down the other's back in preparation for a movement to pick up the
object, Ned was surprised to come in contact with a belt. He was
startled to observe that the belt was filled with cartridges.
Without stopping to comment upon the circumstance, Ned stooped quickly
with hand outstretched. His fingers came in contact with the object
his foot had struck. He instantly recognized it to be an automatic
pistol. Restraining his impulse to cry out, the lad shifted the weapon
in his hand to a grip that would permit him to use it in case such a
move was necessary. He straightened up at once.
Scarcely had the boys taken another dozen steps before they heard the
voices of a number of men, all apparently endeavoring to talk at once
and using a language that was unintelligible to the lads.
Greater caution, if possible, was now used by all in their negotiating
the dark passage. A few steps farther on carried them past the place
where the voices had been heard. Ned breathed a sigh of relief as the
voices died away in the distance.
Presently the guide halted. He turned to a position where he could
face Ned. Still speaking in a whisper, he said:
"We are not out of danger yet, but I'll thank you to let me have that
automatic you picked up back there. It's mine!"
"Come on, now, hand it over," continued the other.
"Where did you get it?" whispered Ned. "Can you prove what you say?"
"Of course I can!" replied the other. "I'm a bird man, and that is
part of my equipment. You have no right to it!"
A louder detonation than any they had heard yet drowned Ned's reply.
The walls in the passage seemed shaking as if about to fall. From the
passage in their rear came shrieks and groans. An odor of sulphur came
blowing upon their backs. A crashing and grinding noise filled the
air. Jack and Harry closed in upon the others.
"Let's get out of here as quick as we can," urged Ned.
"We're at the end of the passage!" declared the guide. "That blast has
probably filled the corridor back of us with rubbish. Unless we can
dig a way out of it, we're buried alive!"