on to his face, and then fastened his hands behind
him with a rope he had made from twisted strips of one of his rugs.
He was not afraid of his calling out, as the window looked outside,
and it was blowing half a gale. Moreover, the sound of drums below
would aid to prevent any noise being heard from the courtyard.

"I don't want to hurt you, sergeant," he said, "but I do want my
liberty. I must put a bandage round your mouth, to prevent you from
calling; but you know as well as I do that there would be no chance
of your being heard, however loud you might shout.

"Now, in the first place I am going to see if I can get a uniform.
If I cannot, I must come back and take yours."

Binding the sergeant's legs as well as his arms, and putting a
muffler over his mouth, Fergus went out, leaving his own jacket and
cap behind him. The key was in the door. He turned it and put it in
his pocket, shot the heavy bolts, and ran downstairs. When he got
to the bottom, he tried the door of the major's quarters. It was
unbolted, and he felt absolutely certain that the major would be
out as, with the other officers, he would have gone down to the
gate to receive those of the incoming detachment.

On opening the door, he saw the articles of which he was in
search--a long cloak and a regimental cap. These he at once put on.
After a further search, he found a pair of military pantaloons and
a patrol jacket. Throwing off the cloak, he rapidly changed his
clothes. He wanted now only a regimental sword to complete the
costume, but he trusted to the long cloak to hide the absence of
this.

Throwing the things that he had taken off under the bed, he went
out, closed the door behind him, locked it, and took the key. He
had with him the short sword carried by the warder, and he relied
upon this to silence the sentry, at the passage leading to the
outer court, should he attempt to stop him.

This, however, was most unlikely. The night was dark, and there was
no light burning; and at this hour, with fresh troops arriving and
a general movement in the fortress, there could be no question of a
countersign being demanded by a sentry in the interior of the
place. The man, indeed, only drew himself up and saluted, as he
dimly made out an officer coming from the major's quarters.

The courtyard beyond was half full of soldiers. The newcomers had
just fallen out. Some were being greeted by members of the garrison
who had known them before, officers