"And why shouldn't I know it, Larry? I've heard tell on it often enough. But they have got to prove we air spies first, ain't they?" "They'll do what they please. I believe half of these Filipinos think the Americans are nothing but cut-throats. They can't conceive that we should want to come here and govern them for their own good." "Because they would rather govern themselves, even if they made a mess of it, than be under anybody's thumb nail, Larry. Howsomever, thet ain't the p'int jest now. The p'int is, kin we git out o' here before they settle to do wuss with us?" "Get out? You mean break jail?" "Exactly. We don't want to stay here if we kin git out, do we?" "To be sure not." Larry leaped up from the bench upon which he had been resting and ran to the door. At this Luke smiled glumly and shook his head. "Ye won't go it thet way, lad--the guard locked it, I seen him do it,--and the lock is a strong one, too." Luke was right, as a brief examination proved. Then the boy turned to the window, an affair less than a foot square, having over it several iron bars set firmly into the stones. "No thoroughfare there," was his comment. The two next examined the floor, to find it of brick, and as solid as the walls. "Only the ceilin' left now," said Luke. "I reckon we might as well give it up. Even if we do git out, more'n likely a guard outside will shoot us down." But Larry was determined to test the ceiling, which was but a couple of feet over their heads. So he had his companion hold him for that purpose. "There is a loose board up there," he cried, as he was feeling his way along. "Hold me a little higher, Luke, and perhaps I can shove it up." The old sailor did as requested, and with a strong push Larry shifted one end of the plank above, so that it left an opening ten inches wide and several feet long. Catching a good hold he pulled himself to the apartment above, to find it stored with boxes and barrels containing old military uniforms and other army equipments, relics of Spanish rule. "Any way out up thar?" queried Luke. "If there is, we don't want to waste any time, ye know." "I'll tell you in a minute," replied Larry, in a low voice, and ran first to one end window of the storeroom and then the other. In front was the street, fast filling with soldiers. In the rear was a stable which just now seemed deserted. The several windows of the storeroom were all barred, but here the bars were screwed fast to wood instead of being set in stone. "I think there is a chance here," said the boy, coming back to the opening. "Here, give me your hand, and I'll help you up," and he bent down; and soon Luke stood beside him. "Think we can git out thet way, eh!" said the Yankee tar, surveying the prospect in the rear. "Well, I reckon it's worth workin' for, Larry. But the drop from the window, even if we pull away the bars--"