LOST IN A SALT MINE
The blow had descended so suddenly that it was paralyzing. Tom and his
friends did not know what to do, but they saw the wisdom of the course
of leaving everything to Ivan Petrofsky. He was a Russian, and he knew
the Russian police ways--to his sorrow.
"I'm not afraid," said Tom, when they had been locked in a large prison
room, evidently set apart for the use of political, rather than
criminal, offenders. "We're United States citizens, and once our
counsel hears of this--as he will--there'll be some merry doings in
Oskwaski, or whatever they call this place. But I am worried about what
they may do to the Falcon."
"Have no fears on that score," said the Russian exile. "They know the
value of a good airship, and they won't destroy her."
"What will they do then?" asked Tom.
"Keep her for their own use, perhaps."
"Never!" cried Tom. "I'll destroy her first!"
"If you get the chance!" interposed the exile.
"But we're American citizens!" cried Tom, "and--"
"You forget that I am not," interrupted Mr. Petrofsky. "I can't claim
the protection of your flag, and that is why I wish to remain unknown.
We must act quietly. The more trouble we make, the more important they
will know us to be. If we hope to accomplish anything we must act
cautiously."
"But my airship!" cried Tom.
"They won't do anything to that right away," declared the Russian in a
whisper for he knew sometimes the police listened to the talk of
prisoners. "I think, from what I overheard when they arrested us, that
we either trespassed on the grounds of some one in authority, who had
us taken in out of spite, or they fear we may be English or French
spies, seeking to find out Russian secrets."
They were served with food in their prison, but to all inquiries made
by Ivan Petrofsky, evasive answers were returned. He spoke in poor,
broken Russian, so that he would not be taken for a native of that
country. Had he been, he would have at once been in great danger of
being accused as an escaped exile.
Finally a man who, the exile whispered to his Companions, was the local
governor, came to their prison. He eagerly asked questions as to their
mission, and Mr. Petrofsky answered them diplomatically.
"I don't think he'll make much out of what I told him," said the exile
when the governor had gone. "I let him think we were scientists, or
pleasure seekers, airshipping for our amusement. He tried to tangle me
up politically, but I knew enough to keep out of such traps."
"What's going to become of us?" asked Ned.
"We will be detained a few days--until they find out more about us.
Their spies are busy, I have no doubt, and they are telegraphing all
over Europe about us."
"What about my airship?" asked Tom.
"I spoke of that," answered the exile. "I said you were a well-known
inventor of the United States, and that if any harm came to the craft
the Russian Government would not only be held responsible, but that the
governor himself would be liable, and I said that it cost much money.
That touched him, for, in spite of their power, these Russians are
miserably paid. He didn't want to have to make good, and if it
developed that he had made a mistake in arresting us, his superiors
would disclaim all responsibility, and let him shoulder the blame. Oh,
all is not lost yet, though I don't like the looks of things."
Indeed it began to seem rather black for our friends, for, that night
they were taken from the fairly comfortable, large, prison room, and
confined in small stone cells down in a basement. They were separated,
but as the cells adjoined on a corridor they could talk to each other.
With some coarse food, and a little water, Tom and his friends were
left alone.
"Say I don't like this!" cried our hero, after a pause.
"Me either," chimed in Ned.
"Bless my burglar alarm!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "It's an awful disgrace!
If my wife ever heard of me being in jail--"
"She may never hear of it!" interposed Tom.
"Bless my heart!" cried the odd man. "Don't say such things."
They discussed their plight at length, but nothing could be done, and
they settled themselves to uneasy slumber. For two days they were thus
imprisoned, and all of Mr. Petrofsky's demands that they be given a
fair trial, and allowed to know the nature of the charge against them,
went for naught. No one came to see them but a villainous looking
guard, who brought them their poor meals. The governor ignored them,
and Mr. Petrofsky did not know what to think.
"Well, I'm getting sick of this!" exclaimed Tom--"I wish I knew where
my airship was."
"I fancy it's in the same place," replied the exile. "From the way the
governor acted I think he'd be afraid to have it moved. It might be
damaged. If I could only get word to some of my Revolutionary friends
it might do some good, but I guess I can't. We'll just have to wait."
Another day passed, and nothing happened. But that night, when the
guard came to bring their suppers, something did occur.
"Hello! we've got a new one!" exclaimed Tom, as he noted the man. "Not
so bad looking, either."
The man peered into his cell, and said something in Russian.
"Nothing doing," remarked the young inventor with a short laugh. "Nixy
on that jabbering."
But, no sooner had the man's words penetrated to the cell of Ivan
Petrofsky, that the exile called out something. The guard started,
hastened to that cell door, and for a few seconds there was an excited
dialogue in Russian.
"Boys! Mr. Damon! We're saved!" suddenly cried out Mr. Petrofsky.
"Bless my door knob! You don't say so!" gasped the odd man. "How? Has
the Czar sent orders to release us."
"No, but somehow my Revolutionary friends have heard about my arrest,
and they have arranged for our release--secretly of course. This guard
is affiliated with the Nihilist group that got on the trail of my
brother. He bribed the other guard to let him take his place for
to-night, and now--"
"Yes! What is it?" cried Tom.
"He's going to open the cell doors and let us out!"
"But how can we get past the other guards, upstairs?" asked Ned.
"We're not going that way," explained Mr. Petrofsky. "There is a secret
exit from this corridor, through a tunnel that connects with a large
salt mine. Once we are in there we can make our way out. We'll soon be
free."
"Ask him if he's heard anything of my airship?" asked Tom. Mr.
Petrofsky put the question rapidly in Russian and then translated the
answer.
"It's in the same place."
"Hurray!" cried Tom.
Working rapidly, the Nihilist guard soon had the cell doors open, for
he had the keys, and our friends stepped out into the corridor.
"This way," called Ivan Petrofsky, as he followed their liberator, who
spoke in whispers. "He says he will lead us to the salt mine, tell us
how to get out and then he must make his own escape."
"Then he isn't coming with us?" asked Ned.
"No, it would not be safe. But he will tell us how to get out. It seems
that years ago some prisoners escaped this way, and the authorities
closed up the tunnel. But a cave-in of the salt mine opened a way into
it again."
They followed their queer guide, who led them down the corridor. He
paused at the end, and then, diving in behind a pile of rubbish, he
pulled away some boards. A black opening, barely large enough for a man
to walk in upright, was disclosed.
"In there?" cried Tom.
"In there," answered Mr. Petrofsky. He and the guard murmured their
good-byes, and then, with a lighted candle the faithful Nihilist had
provided, and with several others in reserve, our friends stepped into
the blackness. They could hear the board being pulled back into place
behind them.
"Forward!" cried the exile, and forward they went.
It was not a pleasant journey, being through an uneven tunnel in the
darkness. Half a mile later they emerged into a large salt mine, that
seemed to be directly beneath the town. Work in this part had been
abandoned long ago, all the salt there was left being in the shape of
large pillars, that supported the roof. It sparkled dully in the candle
light.
"Now let me see if I remember the turnings," murmured Mr. Petrofsky.
"He said to keep on for half an hour, and we would come out in a little
woods not far from where our airship was anchored."
Twisting and turning, here and there in the semi-darkness, stumbling,
and sometimes falling over the uneven floor, the little party went on.
"Did you say half an hour?" asked Tom, after a while.
"Yes," replied the Russian.
"We've been longer than that," announced the young inventor, after a
look at his watch. "It's over an hour."
"Bless my timetable!" cried Mr. Damon.
"Are you sure?" asked Mr. Petrofsky.
"Yes," answered Tom in a low voice.
The Russian looked about him, flashing the candle on several turnings
and tunnels. Suddenly Ned uttered a cry.
"Why, we passed this place a little while before!" he said. "I remember
this pillar that looks like two men wrestling!"
It was true. They all remembered it when they saw it again.
"Back in the same place!" mused the Russian. "Then we have doubled on
our tracks. I'm afraid we're lost!"
"Lost in a Russian salt mine!" gasped Tom, and his words sounded
ominous in that gloomy place.