“Trapped, by smoke!” said the lieu
tenant. He laid a warning band on
Dorr’s arm. “Keep quiet. We’ve lost
our direc tions and we must wait a mo
ment till we discover where that door
way is.”
So they stood hesitant for a few sec
onds. A panel slipped open in the
wall and a woman’s face appeared for
an instant. Swift as the Chinawoman
,was, the i>olice officer was quicker and
he plunged through the shallow punel,
with Dorr at his shoulder.
Once through they paused in the
semidarkness to orientate themselves.
Finally the lieutenant stepped forward.
“This way,” he said. “I hear voices.”
At that very moment there came up
to them an unearthly scream, a shriek
of pure terror.
“lluth!” John yelled, and he and the
officer both plunged forward.
Instead of the lirm footing they ex
pected empty air received them. Twen
ty feet below they struck the water.
Spluttering and swearing, the ]h>Iice
man helped Dorr to a little ledge that
ran alongside the tunnel.
"The miserable Chink dropped us
Into the big sewer,” he gasped. “It
runs into the buj- just a little ways
on. We'll have to swim for it, part
ner.”
Dorr looked down at his arm and
shook his head. "Isn't that a boat
over there'/' he demanded, pointing
Into the shadow.
| “Blamed if it ain’t," said the lieuten
; ant, much relieved. “We ll- soon be
! out of here.”
| In spite of his wound Dorr Insisted
i on rowing, and the officer phllosoph
| ically allowed him to, seating himsell
gingerly in the stern of the little craft
aud fending it off the brick walls of
the tunnel with his hands as the
current drew them t^jyjard.
