A close observer now would have seen the right side of Frank's great coat rise slowly. The hand within was pulling it up. Suddenly it flashed up still more suddenly and there came a sharp report. There was a sound of crashing glass and the room was immediately plunged into darkness. Through his overcoat, Frank had shot out the light! At the moment he had pressed the trigger Frank had reached forth his left hand and clasped Jack by the arm. Then he leaped in the direction of the door dragging Jack after him. "Quick!" he cried. For a moment after the single shot, there was a deathly stillness in the room and in that moment Frank and Jack almost reached the door. Almost but not quite. At a far end of the room a match flared up. Frank, who had now drawn his revolver from his pocket, raised it quickly and fired again. The match went out. But this second shot had betrayed the lads' new position to the other occupants of the room. A terrific roar went up and several revolvers cracked sharply. But Frank and Jack had been too quick for the others. Immediately Frank had fired, both had dropped to the floor. Then rising they sailed into the crowd of Russians before them with their hands, striking out right and left. It was in this kind of fighting that Jack showed up best. Though his wits were no quicker than Frank's, his courage no greater, his blows were heavier and his weight bore all before it. Quicker than it takes to tell it he had cleared a passage to the door, and reaching back, he grabbed Frank by the arm and pulled him through after him. Unfortunately, the door closed the wrong way, so he could not close it after him. "Run!" he cried. Frank needed no urging and darted after his chum, at the same time crying out: "Look out for the steps, Jack!" But Jack did not need this warning. Always observant, he had measured the distance from the steps to the door as he entered, and now he drew in the darkness a scant three paces from the steps. He felt for them with his foot. "All right," he said to Frank, who had stopped when he collided with his friend. "Fifteen steps down, then run to the left." Frank followed instructions without question. Suddenly Jack came into contact with a figure in the darkness. The lad shoved him to one side and the two darted by. Other figures now blocked the passage. They were the men who had passed out ahead of the lads. There were hoarse cries of alarm and surprise; but unheeding these, the two boys ran on. The advantage was theirs, for the Russians, although realizing something was wrong, could not see them and did not know the causes of all the trouble were so near. Frank and Jack turned into the last passageway safely. And there it became light. Before the door at which stood the first guard was a light. The guard himself, attracted by the sounds of commotion from behind, faced the lads as they turned into the passage, a drawn revolver in his hand. "Halt!" he cried.