, thinking him dead, the crowd would have
deserted the place. As it was, he saw a cluster of rebels standing
watching the fire carry out its fell work.

He withdrew his head the instant he saw the murderous-looking mob.
To expose himself on the top of the wall was merely to make a target
of his body for a dozen rifles to "pot" at, and so nullify all he
had accomplished. Yet how was he to get over on to the other side
without being observed? If he could but alight on firm ground
safely, he could then make a rush for it, and trust to the luck
which, so far, had been on his side. He thought of the shadow cast
by the wall, owing to the brilliant light of the burning prison
behind, and he determined to try this one chance of escape.

In the excitement of the leap from the window he dropped his weapon,
and only just discovered the fact. Scrambling back, he soon found
it, and climbing once more on to the outhouse, without further
hesitation he gradually rolled himself full length on to the top of
the wall, slid his legs over, and letting himself down to arms'
length, dropped to the ground. The wall was nearly fifteen feet
high, so that he had dropped about seven. The moment he landed he
recovered himself and ran for dear life, not knowing in the least
where he was going.

At first he thought he had escaped notice, but it was not so, for
scarcely had his brain formed the hope than one wild shout went up
from the rebels, and the next instant he found himself closely
followed by a hooting, murderous mob.

CHAPTER XIX

THE ESCAPE

The moment George realized he had been discovered, the spirit of "do
or die" entered into his soul, and he flew along at the utmost speed
at his command. He did not even check his hope that the race would
end in his favour; he did not pause to wonder where he was going, or
how he would elude his pursuers. He had got a short start of them
which he meant to keep, and, if possible, increase. He could hear
the gibbering of the mob gradually getting louder and louder as the
crowd gathered up fresh recruits and surged along in pursuit of him.
The distant burr increased to yells and shouts, and the clatter of
fire-arms became so loud that George began to fear that his attempt
at escape was quite futile. He never lost heart, however, and raced
on and on at a pace surprising even to himself.

A man never learns what is possible until he is p