Commodore Barney's Young Spies Part 39

I noticed that the old man bent over as if weary, until his face was very near the gla.s.s, and while Bill waved his arms as if in the midst of a heated argument, I saw Darius' lips move.

"On the roof--to-night--bring rope--ten o'clock."

No less than three times were these words repeated, I reading them from the motion of his lips, for as a matter of course he did not dare to speak so loud that I could hear him.

Then I went through the same motions with _my_ lips, in order to make certain there could be no mistake, and Darius nodded his head in token that I had the words correctly.

Now it was my business to get away from the prison as soon as possible, for Elias Macomber might return at any moment, and I backed into the street while gazing at the top of the building, looking, most likely, the greenest lad that ever visited a city.

While thus acting the simple I was making ready for whatsoever plan Darius wanted to carry into effect, for I studied the outside of the jail until I could tell within a foot of how much rope would be needed.

The "stone house" was three stories in height, with an ordinary pitched roof from which projected four chimneys--two at each end. From the eaves to the ground I judged it was not less than thirty feet, and from the eaves to the nearest chimney, measuring at whichsoever corner you chose, was ten feet. To that length add three feet for a turn around the chimney and two half-hitches, and one had the length of rope Darius wanted--say forty-three or four feet.

I noticed that on the side of the roof nearest the street was a trap-door or scuttle very nearly in the middle, well up toward the ridge-pole, and it must be that our comrades would come through that, since I saw no other way by which they could get outside.

Without doubt those two old sh.e.l.l-backs had made a careful survey of the place within ten minutes after being imprisoned, and had a plan for escape mapped out ready to be carried into execution, providing any aid could be had from the outside.

By the time I had backed entirely across the street I had a picture of the jail in my mind which could be recalled at any moment, and as I turned to saunter away I came face to face with Jerry.

"Have you been over there?" he asked, motioning toward the "stone house."

"Yes, and have the same as talked with Darius and Bill Jepson. Let us get out of sight where we shan't be watched. I was afraid you would run into Macomber; he started off some time ago, and I got it into my head that he was going to the British encampment."

"I reckon that's where he was bound for. I kept my eyes open mighty wide both goin' an' comin', therefore saw the cur while he was a long distance away, otherwise we might have run into each other as you an'

I did."

"All right at the smoke-house?"

"Snug as bugs, an' your father is as chipper as a sparrow."

Then I led the way up what appeared to be a lane in the rear of some dwelling, until we were where we could talk without danger of being seen or heard.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE ESCAPE.

Jerry was thoroughly astonished, after I had told my story, because we had had such plain sailing when there was nothing to start us on a course for the missing comrade. We had gone out blindly, and by sheer accident ran upon our man without trouble or delay.

"It heartens a fellow to have things happen this way," my partner said in a tone of satisfaction. "There's no question but that we're in a bad box, take it all around, for after the British get settled down in the city they will most likely look about for such as us, therefore our work must be done quickly, an' by your hittin' the nail square on the head it looks as if we might pull through all right."

The future did not look so promising to me. Darius and Bill undoubtedly knew that they could gain the roof of the "stone house"

during the night; but even then they were far from being free, and I questioned if it would be possible for us to loiter around the building after sunset without attracting the attention of the sentries.

However, it was not for me to throw cold water, because a fellow needs all his courage when he would do that which lay before us, and it was well Jerry should feel confident as to the result.

Therefore it was that instead of discussing how we could set about rendering the necessary aid, I began by questioning as to how the rope might be procured, and, as a matter of fact, it was by no means a simple matter to get one of the desired length.

"We've got to buy it, of course," Jerry said quickly, and as if it was possible for us to make such purchases at any time.

"In the first place we haven't money enough," I suggested, "and secondly, how many shops will you find open in this city?"

These questions were sufficient to let Jerry understand that it was not all plain sailing before us, and after some reflection he said:

"Suppose we go back to the smoke-house? There we can talk it over with the others, an' at the same time get something by way of breakfast."

There was plenty of time at our disposal, since Darius had set ten o'clock that night as the hour when we could aid him, and I welcomed my partner's proposition; but instead of going directly to the place of refuge, I insisted on making a long detour to lessen the chances of running across Elias Macomber.

That the cur had gone to the encampment hoping to get a permit to see the prisoners, in order to gloat over their misfortune, I had no doubt, and if he was successful I felt equally certain he would go to the jail by the shortest route. In event of failure, however, and I was positive he would fail, the villain might wander anywhere while working off his disappointment, therefore it stood us in hand to be exceeding cautious.

As it proved, however, we had seen the last of that miserable British-lover, and after Jerry saw him on the street, he pa.s.sed out of our lives for many months.

I believed of a verity that we walked at least three miles, cutting across lots here, or traveling many rods out of our course there, until it seemed as if we had traversed every lane and obscure pa.s.sage to be found in the city. But we arrived safely at last, which repaid us for all the extra work; we had seen no one who gave any heed to us, and when we sneaked into the smoke-house from behind the ruins of the tavern, I felt positive no one saw us.

It can well be supposed that our comrades gave us a hearty welcome, and when I explained how much had been accomplished, they became quite as certain of ultimate success as Jerry; but the question of procuring a rope put the matter in a different light.

We counted every penny belonging to the party, and had less than three s.h.i.+llings, while the length of rope we needed would cost three or four times as much.

"It's certain we can't buy one, even though all the shop-keepers in the city stood ready to wait upon us," I said after we had ascertained the amount of capital on hand. "Now what is to be done?"

No one answered for many minutes, and then Jim Freeman proposed that if we couldn't get what we needed in any other way, it would be admissible to steal the rope, in view of the use to which it would be put.

Dody Wardwell thought we might go to a shopkeeper who dealt in such goods, and, telling the story, beg what was needed.

It was my father who solved the riddle.

"I don't believe we are warranted in stealing," he said, "no matter what might be accomplished, neither do I think it safe to confide in any stranger whom you should meet; but the begging proposition, if carried out properly, comes nearer filling the bill than anything else."

"What do you call doin' it properly?" Jerry asked.

"There must be oystermen in port, either here, at Georgetown, or Alexander, and the chances are you would know some of them. Go round the water front, and see what can be found. Then try the other towns, and I'll guarantee you can strike an acquaintance somewhere. After that everything is simple, for you may borrow a rope without fear that information will be lodged against you."

"Come on, Amos!" Jerry cried, springing to his feet in excitement.

"Your father has. .h.i.t upon the very plan, an' we were thick-headed not to have thought of it at first!"

There was no time to be lost, more particularly in case we should be forced to visit the two towns mentioned; but I believe that we would really be forwarding the business if we delayed long enough to get something to eat, and my comrades were of the same opinion.

Jim had tried his hand at making bread by mixing flour and water together, and baking the stuff in an old tin pan over the embers of the tavern ruins. It was possible to eat the mixture, and that was the best that could be said, therefore we satisfied our hunger with raw bacon and imitation bread, which did not require very many minutes.

Jim and both the other fellows were eager to go with Jerry and me; but they would not be able to forward matters, and it seemed like taking too many risks to make our party so large, therefore we decided that they must stay in the smoke-house as before, a decision which was not to their liking, although neither of the lads made any protest.

Then Jerry and I set out, after listening to such advice as my father had to give, and began the search on the Eastern Branch.

There were but few vessels in port; the greater number of those that remained when the enemy entered the Potomac had run up the river as high as possible lest they be destroyed, and we did not find an oyster pungy until we were well over toward Georgetown.