aptured.

They agreed to meet at three o'clock, in two of the casemates by
turn, as one would not hold the whole number. This made a great
break in their day. It would have been better if the meeting had
been held in the evening; but the regulation that, during the
winter months, they were locked up at five, prevented this being
adopted. So the cold weather passed not altogether unpleasantly.
The strict rule that every case in which the slightest difference
of opinion arose should, at once, be submitted to the adjudication
of Major Leiberkuhn and the senior officer of the casemate in which
it occurred, effectually prevented all disputes and quarrels over
the cards and other games; and their good fellowship remained,
therefore, unbroken.

In March the sun gained power, the snow and ice began to melt, and
Fergus again began to think how an escape could be effected.

"I can think of only one plan," he said to his two companions, one
evening. "It is clear that it is altogether hopeless to think of
getting out by the door but, as we agreed, it would be possible to
chip off the heads of the rivets, unbar the shutters, and let
ourselves down into the moat. If we were to make our way along at
the foot of the wall, the chance of our being seen by the sentry
above would be very slight; for of course we should choose a night
when the wind was blowing hard, and the water ruffled. In that case
any splash we might make would not be heard.

"Swimming along to the corner of this face of the fort, we would
turn and keep along until we reached the spot where the cut runs to
the river. Crossing the moat to that would be the most dangerous
part of the business, and we ought, if possible, to dive across.
There is a low wall there, and a cheval-de-frise on the top of it.
We should have to get out by the side of that, and then either swim
along the cut, or crawl along the edge of it till we get to the
river.

"Then we must crawl along under the shelter of its banks towards
the town, till we get to a boat hauled up, or swim to one moored a
little way out in the stream. Then we must row up the river for
some distance, and land."

"That all seems possible enough, Drummond," Captain Ritzer said;
"but what about our uniforms?"

"We must leave them behind, and swim in our underclothes. I should
say we should take a couple of suits with us. We could make them up
into bundles, and carry them on our heads while we swim. Of course,
if we tak