of the --teenth?" Then came a clue, and then--discovery.

By order of Lieutenant-Colonel Canker a board of officers had been
convened to investigate the matter, and after questioning everybody whom
"Squeers" had already badgered with his assertions, threats and queries,
they went to the guardhouse and began a thorough inspection of the
premises. The wooden building stood in the midst of a waste of sand blown
in from the shore line by the strong sea wind. It was perched on
something like a dozen stout posts driven into the soft soil and then the
space between the floor level and the sand was heavily and stoutly
boarded in--thick planks being used. Between the floor and the sand was a
space of about eighteen inches vertical, and a dozen men could have
sprawled therein--lying at full length--but to escape would have required
the connivance of one or more of the sentries surrounding the building
and the ripping off of one or more of the planks. In his keen anxiety
Canker accompanied the Board on its tour of investigation--a thing the
Board did not at all like--and presently, as was his wont, began running
things his own way. It had been found useless to question the soldiers of
the guard. Not a man could be found to admit he knew the faintest thing
about the escape. As for the prisoners, most of them reckless,
devil-may-care rascals, they grinned or leered suggestively, but had
nothing to tell.

"We'll have this boarding ripped off," said Canker decisively, "and see
what they've got secreted under there. I shouldn't be surprised to find a
whisky still in full blast, or a complete gambling outfit--dash, dash 'em
to dash and dashnation! Send for a carpenter, sergeant."

The carpenter came, and he and two or three of the guard laid hold of one
end of the plank after its nails were drawn, and with little exertion
ripped it off the other posts. Then everybody held his breath a minute,
stared, and a small majority swore. So far from its being open to cats,
cans and rubbish, the space on that side was filled solid with damp,
heavy sea sand--a vertical wall extending from floor to ground. Canker
almost ran around to the opposite side and had a big plank torn off
there. Within was a wall as damp, solid and straight as that first
discovered, and so, when examined, were the other two sides provided.
Canker's face was a study, and the Board gazed and was profoundly happy.

At last the colonel exploded:

"By Jupiter! They haven't g