"The one toward the barn."
"No. What about it?"
"Well, it"s growin" close up, right under the eaves of the house. "T is big enough and strong enough to hold a man, and if the night is as dark as we hope it will be, we"ll slide out of the window, for there is a window right by the tree, and if we are still enough we"ll be able to slip down it without disturbin" anybody."
"I"m afraid the loft will be the first place the men will search after they find we are gone."
"Don"t you belave it!" whispered Dennis positively. "I"ve got a bit o"
string in me pocket, an" if I can find a small sthick I"ll fix the window in the room here so that the sthick will let down the window an"
in the racket they will think we have gone straight through the bars."
Dubious as Noel was about the outcome of the proposed plan of escape, he nevertheless was inclined to share in this project of his companion.
Whatever might be the peril, and that it would not be slight he was well aware, it was to be preferred to being sent to Libby Prison.
Outside the windows were heavy oak bars that could neither be broken nor removed. If the window was raised, so confident were the soldiers in charge that their prisoners would not be able to escape, it might be lowered in such a manner as Dennis had described, and the clatter which would surely follow might distract the attention of the guard if the loft once could be gained by the two soldiers.
The "sthick" to which Dennis had referred might be tied by a string that he would attach to it and then drawn up to the loft before the door was replaced, and before the guard was fully aware of what had occurred.
The same night two more prisoners were received and were placed in the room in which Dennis and Noel were confined. The men, however, were strangers to the boys, and Dennis declared that they could not be sharers in his project unless the attempt necessarily should be delayed several days. By that time they might be able to learn more of the character of their fellow prisoners.
There were thoughts at times in Noel"s mind that it might be well for him or his companion to make the first attempt to escape alone. The peril was so great and the chance of success so slight that to him it seemed to be folly to divide the risk. If success should crown the efforts of one, it would be a small matter for the other to follow. The thought, however, that it would be impossible for any one without aid to secure an entrance into the loft caused him to banish the suggestion from his mind. By common consent the two new prisoners slept on the opposite side of the room.
Dennis and Noel had retained the place which they at first took for their resting-place, directly beneath the slide in the ceiling.
"To-night we must make a try of it," whispered Dennis on the evening which followed the arrival of their companions. "I"ll see what can be done with that door, anyway."
There was no light in the room, but the dull glow that came through the door opening into the hallway enabled them to see that the guard was sitting quietly in his chair in a position from which he could, if necessary, see much that was occurring within the room.
Cautiously withdrawing from the direct line of vision, Dennis and Noel crawled nearer the wall. Dennis had removed his shoes before either of the boys had stretched themselves on the floor for the night. Not a word was spoken. Acting promptly Noel braced himself against the side wall and a.s.sisted his companion to mount to his shoulders.
Dennis, who was a powerful lad, at once scrambled to the position, and, hesitating only an instant to discover whether or not his action had been seen, cautiously lifted his hands and tried the slide in the ceiling directly above him.
In a moment the two young soldiers again took their position upon the floor, each greatly excited and both relieved when after a few moments had pa.s.sed they were convinced that their actions had not been seen by the guard.
""T is all right, Noel," whispered Dennis. "The door up there slides back. I can slide it open without any trouble. Now if we can find a piece of sthick, we"ll rig our trick for to-morrow night."
It was difficult for Noel, throughout the hours of the following day, to repress the excitement under which he was laboring. His uncertainty at times and his fears lest the guard should discover their attempts almost caused him to decide to protest against the adventure. The thought, however, of what freedom would mean was sufficiently strong to overcome his fears and every time his decision became stronger.
With Dennis, there was no hesitation. Indeed, it almost appeared as if the perilous attempt had no danger at all for the young Irish soldier.
He watched the clouds and beamed upon his companion when the guard was changed, and said, "It looks like we"re goin" to have a big rain to-night. It"s too early for the equinox, but I reckon we all will have to take it when it comes. I reckon, too," he added, "that we all shan"t stay here much longer. We"ll be sending you Yanks on to Richmond to join your friends."
The prophecy of the guard in part was fulfilled as the day drew to its close, and when the light disappeared the rain was falling heavily.
CHAPTER X
INTO THE STORM
When darkness fell over the land the violence of the storm increased.
The whistling of the wind and the swaying of the branches could be heard within the building.
"This is just what we want," whispered Dennis.
"Yes," replied Noel, though his fears were not allayed by the confidence of his comrade. "You must wait a while, Dennis," he added.
"Indade, and I"ll wait," replied the young Irishman. "We want to be shure that every wan is aslape before we begin."
As the hours pa.s.sed and the fierceness of the storm increased, and the sound of the pelting raindrops was heard as they struck the sides of the building, the monotony of it all served as an inducement for sleep. It was not long before the sounds which came from their fellow prisoners convinced both the young soldiers that the men were sleeping soundly.
The guard in the hallway was plainly within sight seated in a chair which was tipped back against the wall. A lighted candle was shining in each end of the hall, and though the light was dim every movement of a person near by could be plainly seen.
Fortunately the light of the candles did not fall directly upon the ceiling in the room where the prisoners were confined.
"It must be eliven o"clock," whispered Dennis. "Don"t you think so, Noel?"
"Yes."
"It"s time for us to begin."
"Yes," again a.s.sented Noel.
"Kape still now, while I take off me shoes again. You"d better take yours off, too."
"We"ll want them if we ever get out of this place," suggested Noel.
"That"s right. Shure we will. You"ll have to pa.s.s them up to me after I have climbed into the loft."
Noel made no further protests, and Dennis at once prepared to carry out the plan which he had so carefully devised.
Silently both young soldiers removed their shoes, and then, without delaying a moment, as soon as Noel had braced himself against the side of the wall, Dennis clambered to his shoulders and then waited a brief instant to discover whether or not the guard was aware of any unusual activities among his prisoners.
The silence was unbroken, and Dennis, as soon as he was convinced that the suspicions of their guard had not been aroused, slowly and cautiously began to slide back the opening into the loft.
More time was consumed in this endeavor than either of the boys had expected. Several times the door seemed to stick in its place, and only by the utmost care was the young Irishman able to push it past the obstacle without making any noise. At last, however, his effort was crowned with success and a narrow opening above him was cleared.
To Noel, who was upholding his burden, the efforts of his friend appeared to be unduly prolonged. It seemed to him that he could not longer maintain his position and that he must let Dennis fall to the floor.
Aware, however, that such an action on his part would certainly arouse the guard, he braced himself once more and did his utmost to stand steadily in his place.
His relief was great when Dennis, firmly grasping with a hand each side of the floor above him, quickly raised himself and crawled into the loft. Noel instantly stooped and taking the heavy shoes held them toward the ceiling.
In the darkness it was with difficulty that Dennis at last was able to see and seize them, and then, as soon as he had placed them carefully on the floor of the loft, he reached down to grasp the uplifted hands of Noel.
Securing a firm hold upon each of Noel"s wrists, Dennis, bracing himself, slowly and steadily lifted his companion. In a brief time Noel was able to grasp the sides of the floor and thereby a.s.sist his companion. The slightest noise might mean the death of either of the escaping soldiers, and yet, dire as was the peril, Noel"s heart seemed somehow almost to be numb at the time. He did not even consider the possibility that confronted him. His main endeavor was to clamber into the loft noiselessly and thereby avoid arousing the Confederate guard.
At last Noel was standing beside Dennis, and with the utmost caution the latter at once pushed back the slide into its place.