Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-05-03
CHAPTER VII.-CoNTINUED.

CHAPTER Nll.-CONTINUED.
The carpenter came, and he and two
or three of the guard laid hold of one
end of the plank after its nails were
drawn, and with little eXertion ripped
it off the other posts. Then every body
held his breath minute, stared, and a
small majority swore. So far from its
being open to cats, cans and rubbish,
the space on that side was filled solid
with damp, heavy sea sand--a vertical
wall extending from floor to ground.
Canker almost ran around to the oppo-
site side and had a big plank torn off
there. Within was a wall as damp,
solid and straight as that first discov-
cred, and so, when examined, were the
other two sides provided. Canker's face
was a sturdy, and the board gazed and
was profoundly happy.
At last the colonel exploded:
by Jupiter! They haven't got away
at all, then! There isn't a flaw in the
sand wall anywhere. They must be
hiding about the middle now. Come on,
gentlemen" and around he trotted to
the front door. Sergeant" he cried,
get out all the prisoners-all their
bedding-cvery blessed thing they've
got. | want to examine that floor"
Most of The guardhouse birds" were
ogt chopping wood, and Canker danced
an among the few remaining, loading
fhem with bedding belonging to their
fellows until every item of clothing and
furniture was showed out of the room.
One member of the board and one only
failed to enter with his associates-a
veteran captain who read much war
literature and abhorred Canker. To the
surprise of the sentry he walked de-
hberately over to the fence, climbed it
and presently began poking about the
wooden curb that ran along the road,
making a low revetment or retaining
wall for the earth, cindcrs and gravel
that, distributed over the sand. had
been hopefully designated sidewalk
by the owners of the tract. Presently
he came sauutering back, and both SEN
tries within easy range would have
sworn he was chucllling. Canker
greeted him with customary asperity.
What do you mean, sir by absent
ing yourself from this investigation,
when you must have known l was with
the board and giving it the benefit of
the information | had gathered?"
Il was merely expediting matters,
colonel. While you were looking for
where they went in [ was finding where
they got out"
Went in what? Got out of what? ?''
snapped Canker.
Their tunuel, sir. It's Libby on a
small scale over again. They must
have been at work at it at least ten
days" And as he spoke, calmly ignor-
ing Canker and letting his eyes wander
over the floor, the veteran battalion
commander sauntered across the room,
stirred up slightly projecting bit of
flooring with the toe of his boot and
placidly continued: IF you'll be good
enough to let the men pry this up you
may understand"
And when pried up and lifted away
a snugly fitting trap door about two
feet square there yawned beneath
it, leading slantwisc downward in the
direction Of the street a tunnel through
the soft yielding sand, braced and
strengthened here and there with lids
and sides of crackerboXes. 'Now, if
you don't mind straddling fence, sir
I'll show you the other end" said the
captain, imperturbably leading the
way, and Canker, half-dazed yet wholly
in command of his stock of blasphemy
followed. AT the curb, in the midst o1
a lot of loose hay from the bales dumped
there three days before, the leader dis
lodged with his sword the top of a cloth.
ing box that had been thickly covered
with sand and hay-and there was the
outlet. Easy as rolling off a log
colonel" Caid old Cobb, with sar
castle grin. This could all be done
without Il man you've blamed and ar
rested being whit the wiser. They
sawed q panel out of the fcr- scoopeG
the sand out of this tunnel, mixed il
solid against the weather boarding in
side. filled up the whole space, pretty
nvar, but ran their tunnel under fence
and sidewalk, crawled down the gut
ter to the next block out of sight of the
sentries, then walked away free men
Those three thieves who got away were
old hands. "N,e other men in the guard
house were only mild offenders, excepr
Morton. Course he was glad of the