or less can make little difference to him since he must
perforce stay where he is."

"How could you tap on the glass?" I asked of Harvey. "Are there no bars
outside that window?"

"Ay, and in plenty; iron bars standing less than six inches apart; but
there was room to thrust my fingers between and thus come at the
glass."

I turned suddenly to lay my hand upon the oaken stick which Hiram had
been carrying, understanding now for the first time to what purpose he
intended using it, and feeling, rather than seeing, my gesture, he
whispered:

"Ay, lad, you have caught the idea at last. With this we should be able
to make short work of one or two of those bars, providing we are not
interrupted, and if so be there is thunder enough to drown whatsoever of
noise may be made."

It was well nigh impossible for me to control myself so far as to act in
any way approaching a decent fashion. The knowledge that Hiram was not
only bent upon making an effort to rescue Archie that very night, but
had come prepared for it, and the weather promised to be all we could
desire, so wrought upon me that I was literally atremble with excitement
until it was difficult to remain in one place five seconds at a time.

That Harvey was in a similar condition I could well understand, when he
asked in a whisper so tremulous that only with difficulty could I
understand the words:

"Do you believe he counts on doing anything to-night?"

Hiram overheard the question, spoken cautiously though it was, and
replied decisively:

"Ay, lad, that's exactly what I count on doing, and save for the fact
that we have no boats ready, matters could not be more to our liking. In
less than half an hour, unless I have lost all power of judging the
weather, we are like to have as heavy a thunder gust upon us as this
town has ever seen. What more could be asked? How long think you we
might be forced to wait for another such opportunity?"

"But the boats!" Harvey exclaimed. "Of what avail may it be to release
him from prison when the Britishers will make short work in their search
after the day has come?"

"That part of the business is what we must take our chances on, lad. The
hardest portion of the work is to get him out of yonder jail, and that
done we'll trust to luck for the rest. Have you no skiffs in mind that
could be come upon by some search?"

"There are boats in plenty near to Long wharf," Harvey replied; "but
there the Britishers have so many men o