There was a shuffling of feet, as the men moved further away. Then one of the wretches stepped forward and threw open a door, just as Hal came calmly out with: "Nine!" "Stop counting, senor," urged Vicente Tomba quite coolly. "These men have yielded and are going. They will open the other door, pass through it hurriedly, and leave the way open for you." "Lucky for you, if they do, my Tagalo friend! I will suspend the count for an instant only." Another stone door was suddenly swung open, by one of the surly fellows, revealing a passage beyond. Into this the eight fairly raced. "Do not follow too quickly, senor, or one of the rascals may forget himself and turn to fight," declared Tomba. "It will be bad for you if it happens!" "It is of myself that I am thinking, senor!" returned the Filipino dryly. Then, after a pause: "Come, senor. Surely we can pass out safely now." "Then we'll do so," agreed Sergeant Hal, "and your life be upon our success! Don't try to go more quickly than I move, or I shall suspect you, and with me to suspect is to----" "Say no more, senor," interrupted the little Filipino. "I understand you better than I did, and I am taking no chances." Sergeant Overton still retained his left-handed hold on Tomba as the pair passed out to what might mean safety. Through this second doorway they passed, to find themselves ascending a slope paved only with tightly packed dirt. Glancing up the slope Sergeant Hal made out three or four stars low down in the sky beyond. "Night time?" he queried in mild astonishment. "Yes, senor, and you will even believe that it is the night of another day," laughed Vicente Tomba, "for you must have lived ages in the last few hours." "It wasn't quite as bad as that," the Army boy returned graciously. "In your way, Tomba, you helped excellently to pass the time for me." At the top of this interior slope the pair passed out through a doorway ordinarily closed by means of a stout wooden door. The pair found themselves in the yard back of Cerverra's house. At one side was an alley way leading to the street. "I will leave you here, senor, with your gracious permission." "Oh, no, no, Tomba! You will go with me, and still held by me, at least as far as the middle of the street." With sullen assent the Filipino consented to this. On their way through the alley they encountered no one. But, just as they reached the sidewalk, they were met with a sharp hail of: "Halt!" CHAPTER VIII THE RIGHT MAN IN THE GUARD HOUSE That command, however, in a good, strong American voice, had very far from the effect of startling Hal Overton. Down the street, barely a hundred feet away, a squad of a dozen soldiers of B Company had just halted in column of twos. At the head of the squad stood Sergeant Terry and Corporal Hyman. "Sergeant Terry," called the self-rescued Army boy briskly, "march your men here and halt them again."