take advice from her as to who among the men known to love the
Cause, it would be safe for me to visit, and to such person give full
information of how we are situated, and what we strive to accomplish.
That I fancy is as much as any one of us can do in a single night."

Archie would have had more to say regarding the matter, as I could
understand from the expression on his face; but just at that moment the
outer door was heard to open noisily and close with a bang, after which
it seemed as if we could hear whoever had entered barring it behind him,
and Hiram whispered softly to me:

"Get you on the further side of the bed, and let Harvey lie down beside
you. Keep your face turned to the wall, as if you were the dummy of
which we have spoken."

I understood that now he would make an experiment of the plan which he
had suggested, and as softly as might be I followed his instructions,
repeating them to Harvey.

In a twinkling we two lads were disposed of, I smothering my face in the
blanket while my companion lay facing the table, and in a very short
time after these preparations had been made the trap-door was opened.

Master Lord came down the ladder with a noisy welcome, as if it pleased
him to see us thus apparently contented, and before he had an
opportunity to make any remark, Hiram asked in a tone of curiosity:

"May it be night or day, Master Lord? We have been shut in here so long
without seeing a ray of light that it has come to be a matter of no
little importance to us."

"It is nigh to nine of the clock, when all found loitering on the street
without a pass will be taken into custody, else I would have remained
abroad later, for I am hoping most earnestly to seek out some way by
which you can aid your comrade."

"Was it last night that we came here?" Hiram continued, as if prompted
solely by curiosity.

"Not so; nearly eight and forty hours have passed since you arrived."

"Hiram guessed rightly, as he nearly always contrives to do," I said to
myself, and then Master Lord asked:

"Why are you so interested in the time of day? Since you must perforce
remain here idle while I am cutting out the work for you, it is of no
especial importance whether the sun or the moon is shining."

"Aye, that may be," Hiram replied reflectively; "but you see yonder
sleepy heads declared they would turn in because another night had
surely come, and I was trying to persuade them they would be spending
the day in slum