r, I should imagine that the
snow will soon put a stop to active operations."

Then, bowing courteously, he left them, to pay a visit to the
prisoners in the next casemate.

Chapter 14: Breaking Prison.

"He seems to be a pleasant fellow," Fergus said, "and disposed to
do his best to make us comfortable; so if we don't see any chance
of getting away, we shall be able to get through the winter very
fairly."

"You don't think there is any chance of escape, surely, major?"

"Pray, drop the major, Captain Stauffen, and let us call each other
by our names, while we are here. The discipline of the Prussian
army is admirable, and must, as a rule, be most stringently
maintained by all sorts of forms and observances; but here by our
three selves, confined in this casemate for no one can say how
long, it is ridiculous that we should be always stiff and
ceremonious. You are both some years older than I am. I have had
the good fortune to have better opportunities than you have had,
and have been promoted accordingly; but while here, let us try and
forget all about that, and make things as pleasant all round as
possible."

The two officers agreed, but not without grave doubts; for to them
it was quite a serious matter to relax, even in a prison, the
stringent rules that guided the relation of officers to each other
in the Prussian army.

"It is a strong place," Fergus went on, "but I don't know that it
is as difficult to break out of as the last place I was in."

"Have you been a prisoner before?" the two officers asked together,
for both belonged to a regiment that was not with Frederick at
Lobositz, and had indeed only recently come down from Berlin.

"Yes, I was taken at Lobositz and marched to Spielberg, and managed
to get away from there. It is a long story, and will do to pass
away the evening, when we have got the fire and can sit comfortably
and talk round it. My cell there was so high in the castle that,
with the wall and the rock below, there was a fall of a hundred and
fifty feet, at least; so that the difficulties of escape were a
good deal greater than they are here--or perhaps I should say
seemed to be a good deal greater, for I don't know that they were.

"There is the tramp of a sentry outside. I suppose he walks up and
down the whole length of the six casemates. I counted them as we
came in. We are at one end, which, of course, is an advantage."

"Why so?" one of the others asked with a puzzled