tting through the scuttle.

It seemed very much like death for all hands concerned if the
slightest slip was made, and when a fellow believes he stands near a
violent end he is not given to speech.

The moments dragged so heavily that it seemed to me the night would
never come. Once during this painful time of waiting Jerry spoke of
the possibility that Jim and his friends might lose their way, or be
taken in charge as suspicious persons; but I could not arouse myself
to feel any anxiety concerning them. My thoughts were with those two
old sailors in jail, and the part which the British sentries might
play while we were trying to effect their release.

Finally, after it was as if we had spent a full day in the
smoke-house, the sun went down, and it was yet quite light when
Captain Hanaford announced that he and my father might safely make the
start.

"We've got to steer a roundabout course," he said, "an' I reckon it'll
be plain sailin' from now till dark. Stay where you are, lads, an'
don't so much as poke your nose out till half-after-nine."

"How shall we be able to tell the time?" I asked, rather for the sake
of saying something, than because I wanted information.

"You will hear the sentinels at the encampment often enough to give
you a fair idee. Get there as near as possible to the hour set, an'
you'll find me close at hand."

Then he went out, my father leaning heavily on his arm, and Jerry and
I faced each other in the gloom, heeding not the fact that we had had
nothing to eat during nearly eight and forty hours, save the chips of
ham and the unsavory mess prepared by Jim; thinking only of what we
were to do, and the many chances against success.

It was Jerry who broke a long silence by saying with an attempt at
cheerfulness:

"I don't know of any reason why we should moon 'round here like a
couple of chumps. It won't help matters any, an' surely it don't
improve my courage."

Then I forced myself to take part in conversation, speaking of this or
that trouble or adventure in the past; but never once of what might be
before us in the future, and thus the time passed until we believed we
were warranted in setting forth.

With all due regard to prudence, we went by the most direct course to
the "stone house," never seeing a Britisher on our way, and it must
have been at least a quarter-hour before the time set, when we were
come to where it was possible to have a good view of the roof of the
jail.