San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-08
II have, says 1.


the achievement of his design. When is
it to be?'
l hesitated moment, lest should
fall into another trap trying to escape
from the first, but seeing he was an
Englishman would not believe him ca
pable of playing into the Turks hands
for our undoing, and so told him our
business was for midnight ON the feast
of Ramadan.
''Sure, naught but Providence could
have ordered matters so we'll, says he,
doubling himself up, as if unable to
control his joy. "We shall be there, we
miro sturdy men. Some shall hide III
tie caves, and others behind the rock,
and when Haroun rows to shore four of
us will get into his boat, muffled up as
you would be to escape detection, and
as soon as they lay themselves to their
oars their business shall be settled. "
"As how?" says I, shrinking as ever
from deeds Of violence.
Leave that to us, but be assured they
shall not raise cry that shall fright
your lady. Oh, we know the use of a
bowstring as well as any Turk among
them. We have that to thank 'em for.
Well, these two being dispatched, we
return to shore, and two more Of our
men will get in, then we four to the fe-
lucca, and there boarding we serve the
others as we served the first two. So
back comes one of us to fetch off our
other comrades and You four. Then, all
being aboard, we cut our cable, up with
our sail, and by the time MOhand comes
in the morning to seek his game on the
sand bank we shall be half way to Elche
and farther if Providence do keep pace
with this happy beginning. What say
you, friend?" adds he, noting my reflect
i've mood.
Then | frankly confessed that would
have some assurance Of his honesty
II can give you none, master, says
he, but the word Of a good Yorkshire
man. Surely you may trust me as l
trust you, for it's in your power to re-
veal all to HarOun and so bring US all
to curry favor with the dey. Have you
no faith i'll a poor brother Englishman"
Eyes" says l. "I'll trust you
Then we rose, clapping hands, and he
left me, with tears of gratitude and joy
in his eyes Telling my friends 1 had
something of q secret nature to impart,
we went out to the end of the mole,
where we were secure from eavesdrOp-
pers, and there 1 laid the whole story
before them, whereupon we fell debat-
ing what we should do, looking at this
matter from every side, with view to
our security, but slavery lying before us
and no better means of escaping it COM
ing to our minds we did at last unani-
mously agree to trust Joe Groves rather
than Haroun.
The next day there fell great deluge
of rain, and the morrow being the feast
Of Ramadan we regarded this as highly
favorable to our escape, for here when
rain falls it ceases not for As hours, and
thus might we count upon the aid Of
darkness. And that evening, as l was
looking at some merchandise in a bazaar,
a fellow sides up to me and whispers,
lingering a piece of cloth as if he were
minded to buy it:
docs all go well?"
Then perceiving this was Joe Groves,
l answered i'll the same manner:
"All goes we'll "
Tomorrow at midnight"
Tomorrow at midnight" return.
Upon which, casting down the cloth, he
goes away without further sign.
And now comes in the feast of Rama
dan with a heavy, steady downpour of
rain all day, and no sign Of ceasing at
shutdown, which greatly contented us.
About 10 the house we lodged in being
quite still, and our fear of accident
pressing us to depart, we crept silent
ly out into the street without let or
hindrance, though I warrant some spy
of Mohand's was watching to carry in
formation of our flight to his master,
and SO through the narrow, deserted al
leys to the outskirts Of the town, and
thence by the riverside to the great
rock, with only Just so much light Us
enabled rs to hang together and RI
more And do believe we should have
foundered into the river o. one side or
into ditch o. the t'other but that, hav-
ing gone over this road the last time
with the thought that it might lead US
to liberty, every object by the way i'm
pressed itself upon my mind most aston
ishingly.
Here under this rock stood we above
an hour, with no sound out the beating
of the rain and the lap of the water run
ming in from the sea- Then, as it might
be about half past IL, voice close be-
side us, which l knew for Joe Groves
though could see no one but us four,
Jack by my side and Moll bound close
to her husband, says:
"All goes well?"
Eyes; al goes WE'LL" says l, where
upon he gives a cry like the croak of {
frog, and his comrades steal up almos
unseen and unheard, save that each a.
he came whispered his name, as Spinks
Davis, Lee, Best, ETC., till their number
was all told. Then Groves, who wa
clearly chosen their captain, calls Spinks