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Process Safety Calculations
Process Safety Calculations
Second Edition
Edited By
Renato Benintendi
Elsevier
Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom
50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the
Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance
Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions.
This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher
(other than as may be noted herein).
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our
understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become
necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using
any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods
they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a
professional responsibility.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability
for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or
from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.
xix
Preface to the Second Edition
The first edition of the book Process Safety Calculations has favourably been received by
teachers, researchers, students, and practitioners. Some universities have declaredly
appreciated the significant number of chapters dedicated to the chemical engineering
background, specifically oriented to the process safety subject. On the other hand, the large
coverage of the consequence assessment topics along with the constant support of numerous
practical examples has also been appreciated by colleagues and practitioners, engaged in
the complex world of process safety studies. Amazingly, Forbes has included this volume
among the 10 best thermodynamics books of all time, together with Enrico Fermi and Ilya
Prigogine. This outcome has encouraged the author to accept the kind invite of the editor to
prepare a second edition of the book. This has been fully revised, the calculations have been
checked and corrected, and five new chapters with new examples have been added. The
rationale of a second edition is the evidence that the multifaceted world of the quantitative risk
assessment is made of specific sessions, each of which entails the knowledge and the
practice of the related techniques and norms. Chapter 13 covers the dynamics of the buildings
subject to explosions, a subject with many technical and cost implications, typically shared by
process safety and civil engineers. The Layer of Protection Analysis, a technique adopted in
the functional safety framework, but also a powerful QRA tool, has been presented in
Chapter 14 with many applicative examples. In Chapter 15, the protective design criteria of
vessels and enclosures have been described, with the detail of the structural elements and the
comparison of the American and European norms. The complex and often misunderstood
scenario of toxicity has been presented in Chapter 16, with the aim to clarify the disciplinary
definitions with the contribution of the applicable regulations and with the aim to provide the
reader with the capability of untangling the various practical aspects of the topic. Lastly,
Chapter 17 covers the important subject of the integrity of the equipment exposed to external
fires, a theme which always presents a high level of uncertainty in the design and the safety
scenario. The second edition of the book has kept the nature of book of calculations of the
first edition, without compromising the necessary theoretical frame, being the author still
convinced that this approach will result useful and effective for a full understanding of the
discipline.
Reading (United Kingdom), February 2021
xxi
CHAPTER 1
where a, b and c, d are, respectively, the reactants and products reaction coefficients, and A, B,
C, and D are the atoms or the molecules involved in the reaction. Eq. (1.2) is a generalised form
of the same formula. It is worth noting that
ri
sij ¼ (1.3)
qj
is the stoichiometric ratio of Ri to Qj and indicates the constant relationship between the
concentrations of these chemical compounds throughout the reaction path.
Pure mixing and dispersion processes do not cause any modifications of the chemical identity of
the substances because of the physical nature of these phenomena.
Mass balances are broadly used in process engineering where process streams and
configurations are well defined. Instead, process safety scenarios are variable and often very
complex. Considering a portion of space (Fig. 1.1), the following general equation of mass
balance applies:
Wacc ¼ Win Wout + Wgen (1.4)
where
According to Lavoiser’s principle, Wgen exists only for components which are transformed into
other components.
Process safety engineering entails a broad range of complex and variable scenarios where a full
understanding of stoichiometry and mass balances is necessary to properly analyse and assess
the related process and plant configurations. Some cases are discussed here, and specific
scenarios have been analysed in the next paragraphs.
A low-pressure vessel contains a stoichiometric mixture of carbon monoxide and pure oxygen
at ambient temperature To (Fig. 1.2).
The system undergoes a chemical reaction that converts all carbon monoxide into carbon
dioxide and is assumed to be at thermal equilibrium so that the initial ambient temperature is
attained. Application of the ideal gas laws, with V and To constant, gives
Wout
Wgen
Win
Wacc
Fig. 1.1
Mass balance on a generic space domain.
Chemistry of Process Safety 5
CO + 0.5 O2 CO2
CO O2 CO2
Po, To, V P1, To, V
Fig. 1.2
Oxidation of carbon monoxide leading to vessel depressurisation.
N1
P1 ¼ Po (1.5)
No
where N1 and No are the final and initial number of kilomoles of product and reactants,
respectively, which in this specific case coincides with the reaction stoichiometric coefficient
N1 1
srp ¼ ¼ ¼ 0:67 (1.6)
No 1:5
It can be concluded that the reaction, assuming an overall isothermal and isochoric condition,
causes a 33% pressure drop, which could result in a catastrophic outcome for the vessel.
Jet flows from pressurised containments are frequent in process safety. The consequences of
toxic or flammable compound dispersion strictly depend on jet dynamics. The scenario shown
in Fig. 1.3 illustrates the release of hydrogen sulphide from a pipeline.
The toxic gas is released with a mass flow rate WH2S. Air is entrained into the jet as long as this is
developed, resulting in a progressive dilution of H2S. Depending on the effect of the
entrainment, toxic concentrations are proportionally reduced, while flammability will be
promoted by air mixing within a specific region of the jet. Assuming a steady-state value of
WH2S, and indicating with WAIR(z) the air entrainment mass flow rate per length unit along z, the
mass balance at z ¼ h can be written as
ðh
W ðhÞ ¼ WH2 S + WAIR ðzÞdz (1.7)
0
6 Chapter 1
Air entrainment
H2S
Fig. 1.3
Release of hydrogen sulphide from a pipeline.
It has been shown how important is the correct management of this balance in jet flow
consequence assessment studies.
A flash flow is the release of a liquid from a containment where the operating temperature is
significantly greater than its downstream boiling temperature, typically the normal boiling
temperature. The liquid is forced to vaporise a fraction of it to reach the downstream
equilibrium condition. This is the case of LPG stored at ambient temperature (Fig. 1.4).
The liquid mass W splits into the flashed vapour fraction XV and the liquid fraction XL. It is
W ¼ XV + XL (1.8)
Removal of toxic or dangerous compounds can be accomplished via mass transfer units, such as
absorbers or adsorption towers. A typical example is the amine treatment of sour gas (Fig. 1.5),
Fig. 1.4
Flash flow from a pressurised containment.
Chemistry of Process Safety 7
Sweet gas
Q, Sout
Lean amine
q
Sour gas Rich amine
Q, Sin q, Sam
Fig. 1.5
Amine treatment of sour gas.
or absorption of carbon dioxide with sodium hydroxide. For sour gas treatment, neglecting the
change of flow rates Q and q, the mass balance of H2S can be simplified considering the
concentration of sulphur S:
Q Sin ¼ Q Sout + q Sam (1.9)
Example 1.1
How many kilograms of oxygen are required to enrich 500kg of air to 50% of O2 (molar basis)?
(Air molecular weight ¼ 29, oxygen molecular weight ¼ 32).
Solution
500 kg of air correspond to the following kilomoles:
500
Nair ¼ ¼ 17:24 (1.10)
29
500
NO2 ¼ 0:21 ¼ 3:62 (1.11)
29
500
NN2 ¼ 0:79 ¼ 13:62 (1.12)
29
The final amount of oxygen will be, as requested, the same as that of nitrogen, i.e. 13.62 kmol.
Therefore, the oxygen to be added can be calculated by difference:
ΔNO2 ¼ 13:62 3:62 ¼ 10 kmol ¼ 320 kg (1.13)
8 Chapter 1
WSO2
WH2S
WN2
WAIR
WO2
Fig. 1.6
H2S oxidiser.
Example 1.2
(a) A gas stream of hydrogen sulphide is sent to a burner that is fed with the necessary air to
oxidise the sulphide to sulphur dioxide. Knowing that the off gas contains 464.8 kg/h of
molecular nitrogen and 20.8kg/h of molecular oxygen, determine (a) The mass flow rate of
hydrogen sulphide sent to the burner
(b) The sulphide oxidation efficiency
(Hydrogen sulphide molecular weight ¼ 34, nitrogen molecular weight ¼ 28)
Solution
With reference to Fig. 1.6, the combustion process is represented by the following reaction:
0:79 0:79
2H2 S + 3O2 + 3 N2 ! 2SO2 + 2H2 O + 3 N2 (1.14)
0:21 0:21
Nitrogen does not participate in the reaction, so being the stoichiometric coefficient:
2
sH2 SN2 ¼ ¼ 0:177 (1.15)
0:79
3
0:21
and the nitrogen molar flow rate 468:4
28 ¼ 16.6 kmol/h, the hydrogen sulphide mass flow rate is
WH2 S ¼ 0:177 16:6 34 ¼ 100 kg=h (1.16)
Unreacted oxygen is 0.65 kmol/h. Oxygen fed to the burner is equal to 16:6 0:79 ¼ 4:4 kmol=h.
0:21
The conversion efficiency is calculated considering the ratio of unreacted to supplied oxygen:
0:65
ηH2 S ¼ 1 ¼ 0:85 (1.17)
4:4
Example 1.3
A storage tank contains a heavy hydrocarbon with a negligible vapour pressure at the operating
temperature. The tank is nitrogen blanketed so that a positive overpressure of Po is maintained.
The tank emptying is started with a head free volume of Vo and a liquid flow rate equal to Q. Find
Chemistry of Process Safety 9
PIC
N2
PCV
Vo, Po
Fig. 1.7
Emptying of a nitrogen blanketed tank.
the nitrogen mass to be provided with time by the controller PIC in order to ensure that positive
overpressure Po is maintained during all emptying phases (Fig. 1.7).
Solution
The tank head space is assumed to be occupied by nitrogen only. Application of ideal gas laws:
P V ¼ nN2 R T (1.18)
Imposing that pressure is maintained constant by the PCV. It is
2 3
1
d
dP 6 1 dnN2 7
¼ R T 4nN2 V + 5¼0 (1.19)
dt dt V dt
Gas is a fundamental state of substances at a temperature higher than their critical temperature.
Hydrogen and methane have to be regarded as gases at ambient temperature, whereas propane
and sulphur dioxide are vapours and can be condensed by compression.
1.2.2 Liquids
Liquids are the condensed phase of vapours. They can be in equilibrium with their vapours at
any temperature, and vapour pressure is the equilibrium pressure exerted by vapour above the
liquids. Liquids can be miscible or immiscible, polar or non-polar, and this behaviour strongly
affects the release and dispersion scenarios.
1.2.3 Dusts
In addition to being combustible, dusts which are finely divided solid particles can be
explosive. According to BS-EN 60079-10-2 (2015), combustible dusts, 500 μm or less in
nominal size, may form an explosive mixture with air at atmospheric pressure and normal
temperatures. Particular types of solid particles, including fibres, are combustible flyings,
greater than 500 μm in nominal size, which may form an explosive mixture with air at
atmospheric pressure and normal temperatures (BS-EN 60079-10-2, 2015).
As for gases and vapour, the mechanism of dust explosion consists of the rapid release of heat
due to the chemical reaction:
Metal dusts can also exothermically react with nitrogen and carbon dioxide, according to
Eckhoff (2003), who classifies explosive dusts as follows:
A hybrid mixture is a combined mixture of a flammable gas or vapour with a combustible dust
or combustible flying, which can behave differently from the gas/vapour or dust individually
(BS-EN 60079-10-2, 2015).
Dispersed droplets of liquids which, in some situations, may form a flammable mist which may
then give rise to an explosion hazard. It has been proved that aerosol sized droplets (sub-micron
to 50μm) will likely be the most easily ignitable portion of the mist cloud (BS-EN 60079-10-
2, 2015).
The defined state of a compound, mixture, or element above its critical pressure and critical
temperature (IUPAC, 2014). Carbon dioxide in carbon capture and storage (CCS) processing is
frequently handled in its supercritical state.
According to Amagat’s law, within the limit of validity of ideal gas laws:
Vi ¼ y i V (1.26)
where
mi
xmi ¼ X (1.27)
mi
and
wi
xmi ¼ X (1.28)
wi
mi
ci ¼ (1.29)
V ðT Þ
where
mi
cNi ¼ (1.30)
VN ðT Þ
mi
cSi ¼ (1.31)
VS ðT Þ
where
Both states, normal and standard, are assumed in this book to be at 273.15 K and 1 atm,
according to Hougen et al. (1954). Under these conditions, the normal molar volumes are as
follows:
Volume of 1 mol ¼ 22:414L
Volume of 1 kmol ¼ 22:414m3
g mg
ppmw ¼ ¼ (1.33)
m3 L
Example 1.4
The IDLH (immediately dangerous to life and health) of sulphur sulphide is 100 ppmv. Calculate
it as mg/Nm3 and as a molar fraction. (MW 34).
Solution MW 3400
100 ppmv ¼ 100 ¼ ¼ 151:69 mg=Nm3 (1.35)
22:414 22:414
100
100 ppmv ¼ ¼ 0:0001 molar fraction (1.36)
1; 000; 000
Example 1.5
A pressure vessel contains:
10 kg of molecular nitrogen (MW 28)
20 kg of molecular oxygen (MW 32)
50 kg of carbon dioxide (MW 44)
Calculate molar and mass fractions at:
T ¼ 20°C and 1 atm.
T ¼ 60°C and 3 atm.
Chemistry of Process Safety 15
Solution
Molar and mass fractions do not depend on pressure and temperature.
10
NN2 ¼ ¼ 0:36 kmol (1.37)
28
20
NO2 ¼ ¼ 0:625 kmol (1.38)
32
50
NCO2 ¼ ¼ 1:14 kmol (1.39)
44
0:36
xN 2 ¼ ¼ 0:17 (1.40)
0:36 + 0:625 + 1:14
0:625
xO2 ¼ ¼ 0:3 (1.41)
0:36 + 0:625 + 1:14
1:14
xCO2 ¼ ¼ 0:53 (1.42)
0:36 + 0:625 + 1:14
10
xmN2 ¼ ¼ 0:125 (1.43)
10 + 20 + 50
20
xmO2 ¼ ¼ 0:25 (1.44)
10 + 20 + 50
50
xmCO2 ¼ ¼ 0:625 (1.45)
10 + 20 + 50
Examples of gaseous solutions are mixtures of gaseous hydrocarbons, air that is mainly a
mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, off-gas from flaring, which typically contains carbon dioxide,
sulphur dioxide, water, and nitrogen. Non-reactive gas mixtures present a high degree of
homogeneity, so they can always be considered solutions. This is not always true for liquid and
solid mixtures. Gaseous mixtures are governed by Dalton’s law of partial pressures, which
states that the total pressure P of a mixture of n components i is equal to the sum of the partial
pressures Pi of all the different gases:
16 Chapter 1
X
n
P¼ pi (1.46)
1
pi ¼ P y i (1.47)
where yi is the molar fraction of the component i.
Example 1.6
100kg of solid sulphur are burnt in a combustor at atmospheric pressure. Knowing that 10% of
air excess is used, find the partial pressure of nitrogen in the off-gas (sulphur molecular weight:
32, nitrogen: 28, oxygen: 32).
Solution
The combustion reaction is
79 79
S + O2 + N2 ! SO2 + N2 (1.48)
21 21
100kg of sulphur are equivalent to 3.125 kmol. From the reaction stoichiometry and considering
10% of air excess:
The gas-phase reaction rate of the general chemical reaction presented in Eq. (1.2) may be written as
Y
n
rf ¼ kf priRi (1.53)
1
where
Some reactions may be reversible; therefore, a similar equation may be written for the
backward reaction:
Chemistry of Process Safety 17
Y
m
rb ¼ kb pqi
Qi (1.54)
1
Liquid solutions are obtained by dissolving gaseous, liquid, or solid substances in liquids.
Depending on the nature and the behaviour of the dissolved substances (solute), and of the
liquid (solvent), a wide range of physical–chemical scenarios may be obtained, which have to
be well understood in order for them to be properly analysed process safety wise.
Liquid–liquid solutions
Miscible liquids form homogeneous solutions, whereas immiscible liquids form two-phase
dispersed emulsions. A general criterion used to establish whether or not two or more liquids
are miscible is comparing their polar features. The old saying like dissolves like is a very useful
rule of thumb. Therefore, polar species, such as water, have the ability to engage in hydrogen
bonding. Alcohols are less polar, but can form hydrogen bonding as well. Due to its strong
polarity, water is an excellent solvent for many ionic species. Non-polar species do not have a
permanent dipole, and therefore cannot form hydrogen bonding. Organic covalent liquids, such
as many hydrocarbons, fall within this category.
The following general criteria can be adopted to predict solubility of chemicals:
– Symmetric structure molecules have a very low dipole moment and are not dissolved by
water
– Molecules containing OdH and NdH can form hydrogen bonds
– Molecules containing fluorine and oxygen are expected to have a high dipole moment
– Pure hydrocarbons, oil and gasoline, are non-polar or weak molecules
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He belonged to a Spanish type that has been common in Cuba.
American merchants and planters, especially those who were new to
the island, had been his especial game for years.
He sought the acquaintance of such “new” Americans, tendered
them his services and goods, and charged exorbitantly for both.
Should an American planter protest, the crop in one of his sugar or
tobacco fields was burned, nor was it long before the planter learned
that “irrepressible friends of Senor Vasquez had rebuked a grasping
foreigner.”
Should an American merchant protest at Vasquez’s charges,
something happened to the “impudent merchant’s” stores or
warehouses.
Yet Vasquez himself had always kept on the safe side of the law,
while cheerfully ruining Americans.
They were simply compelled to submit to his extortions. One
American, a planter, who had resolutely resisted the Spaniard, had
been found dead, but the crime could be fastened on no one.
Just before the outbreak of the Cuban rebellion, Henry Richardson
had started sugar plantations in the interior. He had fallen into
Vasquez’s hands at the outset, and had been systematically
plundered.
Hal Maynard, who had come to Cuba a year before as Mr.
Richardson’s private secretary, had detected the Spaniard in several
doubtful dealings.
Naturally Vasquez’s feeling for our hero was far from cordial.
While Hal and his employer were still in the interior, Vasquez had
tried to involve them in trouble with the Spanish authorities.
This menace Mr. Richardson had dodged by paying a liberal bribe to
the officer commanding the nearest garrison.
Nevertheless, more dangers threatened these two Americans.
Then Consul General Lee’s call had come for Americans to leave
Cuba. Mr. Richardson had gone the day before. Hal had lingered
long enough to collect two thousand dollars due his employer. This
accomplished, he had traveled hastily to Havana, meaning to leave
there on the historic ninth of April. We have seen how he had
reached there too late.
The money that Vasquez claimed as his due was the balance of an
exorbitant bill. He had already been paid far more than he was
entitled to.
But he had hoped to overtake and intimidate the American boy.
The carriage drew up before the hotel door, which appeared
deserted as, indeed, it was, for with money and food both scarce in
Havana, the hotels stand but a poor show of patronage.
“Your three fares, peon,” said Hal, dropping a few coins in the
driver’s hand.
“Four pesetas more,” insisted the driver.
Hal paid it, without protest, and disappeared inside. He was quickly
shown to a room, and requested that his trunk be sent up.
“Although I ordered that sent here from the interior,” he smiled, as he
bent over the box, “I expected to leave it behind.”
Unlocking the lid, he examined the articles in the trunk for some
moments, until a warning “Ss-sst!” reached his ear.
Rising quickly, Hal saw from whence the signal had come.
In the aperture made by an open skylight overhead appeared the
head of a dark-skinned young man.
His bright, restless eyes took in everything in the room, our hero
included.
“You are an American?” he asked, as Hal stepped under the skylight.
“Yes.”
“Then I am your friend. But have you an enemy?”
“I—I fear I have.”
“Look out of the window toward the harbor. Then come back.”
Hal quickly obeyed, returning with a perturbed face.
“You saw Senor Vasquez approaching, with two officers and a squad
of soldiers?”
“Just that!” affirmed Hal.
“The officers have a pretense, but Vasquez will really seek your
money. If you have it not with you, or know a safe hiding place, you
will fool him, but if the money is in your possession, it will surely be
taken from you.”
Hal hesitated, regarding the speaker with a look full of penetration.
What he saw was the frank, pleasing face of a youth of eighteen.
Somehow, Hal’s heart went out to the stranger.
“If,” said the other, “you have the money, and wish to save it, you can
trust it with me, senor.”
“What could you do with it?” projected Hal.
“Drop it into one of my pockets,” added the other, adding with a
laugh:
“No one would search such a thin, ragged Cuban as I for the
possession of so much money. But think quickly, senor, for Vasquez
will be here in another moment. Juan Ramirez is my name.”
“A Cuban?” asked Hal.
“See!” And Juan drew from a pocket what could easily become his
death-warrant—a small Cuban flag.
This he kissed with a simple, unaffected air of devotion.
“By Jove, I’ll trust you,” murmured Hal. “I’ve yet to meet a Cuban
thief!”
R-rip! In a second he began to unbutton his clothing, bringing out to
view from under his shirt a long, thin bag.
“This contains two thousand dollars,” he whispered.
“And if anything happens to you, to whom does the money belong?”
“Henry Richardson, at Key West.”
“He shall have it,” promised the Cuban. “Hush! There are steps on
the stairs.”
Like a flash, Ramirez vanished.
“Have I been duped?” wondered Hal, with a quick thrill of
apprehension.
Ramirez had looked like a fellow to be trusted. Yet, if Hal had kept
the money about him, it would soon pass into the hands of Vasquez,
who would be able to persuade the Spanish judges that his claim
was just.
“If Ramirez has stolen it,” quivered Hal, “all I can say is that I’d
sooner see him get it than Vasquez.”
Tramp! tramp! tramp! Reaching the head of the stairs, the soldiers
were now marching straight for his door.
Whack! thump! The door was thrown unceremoniously open, and the
uniforms of Spain filled the room.
CHAPTER III.
“SPANISH EVIDENCE.”
“Thanks!”
The acknowledgment, softly uttered as the warning, floated back
over Hal Maynard’s shoulder as he struck out on the double-quick for
the water front.
Once he turned. Over his shoulder he saw three indistinct figures
following him down the street.
Fast as he was traveling, the pursuers increased their speed until
they seemed likely to overtake him.
“Is this more of Vasquez’s deadly work?” groaned Hal. “Will he never
stop until he has destroyed me?”
Cold perspiration oozed out on the boy’s forehead.
He broke into a swift run.
At this gait, he calculated that less than three minutes would bring
him to the English brig’s wharf.
As he ran, he took a flying look over his shoulder.
Hardly more than two hundred feet to the rear were the pursuers,
their sandaled feet moving without noise.
“I can beat them,” thrilled Hal, putting on an even better spurt of
speed.
Just ahead was the water-front street.
Here, a swift turn to the right, and a speedy dash would carry him to
the wharf he sought.
Trip! Hal’s feet became entangled in something stretched across the
sidewalk.
He plunged, then fell to the sidewalk, measuring his full length there.
More quickly than he could rise, a figure darted out of the doorway.
Across the boy’s body a man hurled himself.
“You’ll fight for it—sure!” vented Hal, gripping the stranger by the
throat.
They grappled, struggled, breath coming quick and short.
Hal fought like a tiger. He quickly placed himself on top of his
assailant, but could not wrench himself loose.
Pit-patter-pat! Soft sandals struck the sidewalk as the three shadows
rushed upon the scene.
Not pausing an instant, they hurled themselves into the melee.
Many hands grappled the boy at once.
Maynard fought with renewed fury, but what could he do against so
many?
One seized him by either arm and shoulder, another grasped his
kicking feet.
“Help! help! help! Thieves!” roared the victim, but his captor-carriers
did not even attempt to stifle his cries—the surest way of proving that
they had no reason to fear interference.
Hal’s first assailant now darted back into the doorway, unlocking a
door, and making way for the squad to enter.
Still kicking and squirming, Hal Maynard was carried through the
house and out into a courtyard at the rear.
Here he renewed his shouts, with no other effect than to make his
captors smile maliciously.
At the rear of the yard a gate was unlocked.
Hal Maynard involuntarily crossed a second yard, after which those
who carried him entered another house.
Here he was carried into one of the rooms, and unceremoniously
dumped upon the floor.
“You stay there,” muttered he who appeared to be the spokesman,
“unless you are foolish enough to try to escape.”
“What would be the use?” grated Hal, inwardly. “They wouldn’t be so
sure of me if there was a dog’s chance to crawl out.”
The spokesman went out, but the other three remained.
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling! tinkled a bell in another room.
“A telephone,” conjectured Hal. “Will Senor Enrique Vasquez be at
the other end of the wire?”
Though he listened intently, he could not hear the words spoken into
the receiver.
Presently the fourth man came back.
As Hal had not made any effort to get up, his jailers now squatted
upon the floor, lighting paper cigarettes and puffing incessantly.
Minute after minute dragged by.
Hal did not address a word to his captors. Neither did he shout for
help, for he felt sure that he would not have been left ungagged had
they feared that his voice would reach friendly ears.
Nor did his captors speak, beyond an occasional word addressed to
one another.
“Whatever is to be done, they are merely the agents of some one
else,” cogitated Hal, his mind as busy as his tongue was idle.
“Vasquez bragged about his agents. Are these some of them? If so,
they are not a lot to boast about!”
His reflections were cut short by the sound of the wheels of an
arriving carriage.
Then steps sounded in a hallway, next at the door.
The door opened, to give entrance to Senor Vasquez, as Hal had
expected.
As the Spaniard’s burning gaze fell upon the boy, his face darkened,
though his lips smiled.