"Until I agree to join them in breaking the laws."
"That"s too bad," said the girl, compa.s.sionately. "Isn"t it awful to be shut up there?"
"Yes, it is. I"ve been here three or four days, and it seems as many weeks. Don"t you think you could help me to escape?" asked Jasper, in a lower tone.
The girl looked frightened.
"I wouldn"t dare to," she said.
"Wouldn"t you, if you were sure your uncle wouldn"t find out?"
"Yes, I would," she answered, heartily.
"Don"t you think you could manage it?" asked Jasper, eagerly.
"I don"t know. I wish I could," she answered, with evident sincerity.
"Nancy!" called the old man"s voice from below, sharply, "hasn"t that boy got through yet?"
"Coming, uncle," she answered.
"I"ll speak with you again when I bring up your supper," she said, as she hurried down stairs.
She left Jasper eager and excited. At last he had made a friend in the camp of his enemies, and there was hope ahead.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
ESCAPE.
Jasper waited impatiently for supper-time, not that he was hungry, for excitement had taken away his appet.i.te, but because he was feverish with anxiety as to his prospects of release.
"Suppose the old man should suspect her and come up with the supper himself," he thought, anxiously.
But his anxiety proved groundless.
A little after five the door was opened and disclosed the young girl, Nancy. His face lighted up joyfully.
"I"m glad it"s you, Nancy," he said. "I was afraid I should see your uncle. Does he suspect anything?"
"No; he scolded me for allowing you so long to eat your dinner, that"s all."
"I"ll take it off the plate and eat afterward. Now, I want to talk a little. Have you found out any way to help me?"
"I don"t know. Do you think you could get out of this window?"
Jasper looked at the aperture critically.
"Yes, I think I could," he said, after a pause, "with some one on the other side to pull me through."
"I"ll do that," said Nancy.
"You will? You"re a trump! What am I to do afterward? Can you help me to leave the house?"
"That"s what I"ve been thinking," said Nancy. "I"m afraid it wouldn"t do to let you out at the front door. It"s locked and bolted, and the bolt squeaks. I"ve tried it to see."
"The windows?" suggested Jasper, anxiously.
"No, I am afraid not."
"Then if I can"t leave the house, it"s no use to get out of this room."
"Yes, there"s another way out, but it requires courage."
"I"m not a coward," said Jasper.
"No, you don"t look like it," said Nancy, who was more favorably disposed toward Jasper on account of his good looks.
"Thank you," said Jasper, gratified. "Now tell me, what is your plan?"
"There"s a scuttle through which you can get out on the roof. Would you dare to do it?"
"Yes; I might get on to some other roof."
"Yes, but you might slip off."
"I am not afraid. You think of that because you are a girl."
"Yes. I would rather stay here than trust myself on the roof."
"Do you know if the next house is higher than this?"
"Yes, it is."
"That"s very awkward," said Jasper, thoughtfully.
"But there are some windows in the side of the house. You might get in at one of them."
"And be taken for a house-breaker? Well, I must run the risk, any way.
When do you think I had better try it?"
"To-night. There"ll be n.o.body in the house to-night but uncle and me."
"That"s good," said Jasper, reflecting that Nathan looked feeble, and being small in size would not be more than a match for his strength if the worst came to the worst.
"When does your uncle go to bed?" he asked.