CHAPTER XXI.
A RESCUE AND A "FACER" "You're sure of that ?" breathed Trent, tensely.
I ought to be, uttered the man, hoarsely.

"One of the women is my wife, and another is my daughter! I haven't seen any of the women in five hours." "How so ?" asked Trent, sharply.
"The soldiers thrust me into the basement.

Ever since I found myself alone I've been working with a penknife to dig out the mortar of the bricks in which the window bars were imbedded." "The instant I had jerked enough bars loose I crawled through the opening and started for you." Giving swift instructions to keep the machine gun going continuously, and to keep the fire trained on the edge of the hotel roof, Trent detailed four riflemen to remain with the machine gun man, then led the rest swiftly under the hail of bullets that raged over their heads.
In this mode of attack the sailormen gained the sidewalk under the hotel without a shot having been fired from the roof.
"Ensign Darrin, lead as many men as you can against the doors!" ordered the lieutenant.

"Get them down as fast as you can!" Their first assaults against the massive doors failing, four sailors were sent on a run for some form of battering ram.

They returned with half of a telegraph pole that had been cut in two by shell fire in the afternoon.
Borne by a dozen stout jackies, the pole was dashed against the door.