of that?" queried one of the men, with a short
laugh.

"Sometime--not now," answered Larry. Then he took the pot back to the
fire and carried his bowl and the kettle into the cave. At once Leroy
followed him.

"And now, what's this nonsense you're talkin' about running away?"
demanded the _Yorktown_ sailor, as soon as they were alone.

"I'm going to try my luck to-night, Leroy. If you don't want to go,
you can stay with the others."

"But how are you going? There's a guard around the foot of the hill,
and they will shoot you on sight."

"I'm not going to try the foot of the hill--at least, not this side of
it."

"Well, you can't get to the other, for that cliff over this cave is in
the way."

"I'm going to explore the caves back of this. They must lead to
somewhere."

The old sailor shook his head. "More'n likely they lead to the bowels
of the earth. You'll fall into some pitfall, and that will be the end
of you."

"I'll light a torch as soon as I am out of sight of this place, and
I'll be very careful where I step."

"This cave may be as big as the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. You'll get
lost in one of the chambers and never find your way out."

"I'll have to risk that. But I'm bound to try it--if they give me the
chance."

"You're foolish. Why, confound it, I've half of a mind to report the
scheme."

"Oh, Leroy, surely you won't do that."

"I mean just to save you from yourself, Larry."

"I don't intend to remain a prisoner until I am baldheaded, Leroy.
I'm going to try to escape--and that's the end of it."

"Will you take any of the others along?"

"If they want to go."

"There won't a soul go--and I know it," responded the stout sailor, in
positive tones.

When the other prisoners came in, he told them of Larry's plan. One
and all of them agreed it was foolhardy.

"I don't believe there is any opening," said one. "Or if there is,
it's so high up in the mountains that you'll never reach it."

"And what are you going to do for eating? That kettle of stew won't
last forever," said another.

So the talk ran on, but the more he was opposed, the more headstrong
did Larry become--and that, as old readers know, was very much like
him.

"I shall go, and good-bye to all of you," he said, in conclusion. And
then he shook hands with one after another, Leroy last of all. The
_Yorktown's_ man was trembling.

"I hate ter see ye do it, lad," he said. "It seems like going to
death, but--but--hang it