The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-15
climbed to h top of our crazy little mast and waved alft the shirt he had
stripped D hso " back.

lo00 ctmoeo TO 1he top OF our crazy Il
stripped of
CHAPTER L.
We were prisoners Of war at q place
called Quirnper. OF the coast Of Brittany.
in France. Ind In the prison We had
encountered q ellow-countryman-one Cap
tain C~aryl-who in truth ought to have been
at home enjoying the title that truly be-
longed to him, Of Earl OF Mountbrendon,
hut . villa:nous cousin of his now held 1t
Ia his place. giving out that this Francis
Caryl was dead. and so prankt 1t finely in
borrowed. nay stolen. feathers.
We were sitting together enc morning.
David. my lord (as We called HIM. and 1.
eaptives Ill. in which condition We had
been q long twelve months. and summing
ourselves against the wall in the courtyard.
when up comes a young man, a fellow pris-
oner. one Thomas Dart, by name. with a
basket to show US that he had woven out
q straw which he had taken from his
bed.
He came from Dunstable., and had learnt
OtraW-plaitng in his boyhood. He, too. HAD
been o N board the Amazon. and, like us,
thrown into prison. He was a good lad.
6nd-hearted and generous, and when we
~ him lounging across the courtyard We
welcomed him and made room for him on
.0uf bench. and. after we had admired his
haAdiwork and fixed the number of sous
which We thought he should ask for 1t. we
begged him to read to US out of his book,
for Tom Dart was the happy possessor Of
. book which by good fortune he had
brought ashore in his. pocket, and which he
loved for its nj sake as well as for the
smother who gave It him.
It was the '.Pilsr;ms Progress" which 1
have always counted one Of the finest works
q mans genius, though now 1t be not over
much in fashion.
He took out his boob and began to read.
Cor he vas always ready to do that. though
he loved not much to lend his treasure out
q his hand. He read q while, and then.
tlDugh with his eyes on the book. as II he
odll read, he spoke thus:
~Et5ends ALT 1 came across. not 30 much
% shew my work. or read to you. but to
apeak Of Aomewhat else. Now. do not start
o. hook NJ al II I was saying something
strange which might cause remark. but l
think I zee q way OF escape, and 1 want
70 know II you will Join me. Next Tuesday
4. A. perhaps. you have forgotten. Shrove
Tuesday. Well. fast or feast. there will be
high Jinks here. Even the Captain and his
family viii be absent, Marie saith. and
Ne an know hat when the cats away the
mice will play"
''Bu whittier shall we siip?' said my lord.
eve have no wings to fly home with"
sFrom my window replied Tom. (which
= at the south wing o: this old place. I can
- q bit Of the shore of the river or estuary
that cometh up to the town."
'Is It large enough to get through-the
window. I mean asked Tom
Il think I could squeeze out. II I can but
go clear enough"
Fl guess min IL next behind yours" said
Tom. thoughtfully. '~'perchance I could work
on Narie's compassion to grant me the
key, 20 a to aid you. And you. comrades.
are not you and David together"
1T Is so..' / replied. land we are at the
back on the farther side. And below are
the roofs OF some cuthouses on which l
doubt not We can climb. But what lies be-
tween No and this shore. for Of that we have
no view?"
''waste ana open pasture. and heath ana
sand" ana Tom. with a group of ragged
poplars near-the only trees within any
distance. Those must be our rendezvous.
end now Hurrah for Shrove Tuesdayr"
ssss
Az last the day cnme. and, 10 our con-
eentinenf we were sent to our night quarters
earlier than usual and SO locked and bottled
NJ. which made US the more sure that our
conjectures were true. and that our gaolers
meant to 90 OK and enjoy themselves.
Once sent TO our room. David and I be-
9an operations. Fortunately. We were alone. !
for few prisoners remained here. and no
one had been sent to occupy the places of
those who had been drafted on to Brezt.
We slowed our pockets with such few OBJ
3ects n We wished to carry away with us.
Iney were not many. for cur belongings
~tfe few indeed.
'.Now, for the window" said David. ''but |
Z wonder how goes the time"
The words were scarce past his lips when
re heard q distant clock begin to strike. |
ana we stood silent to listen and count the
Observation-Disclosures five-six -
seven!
s'That IL WELL" he said. I'VE shall not !
have too much time to reach our rendez-
vous." For Ne had settled TO try to meet
1t . o'clock. guessing that from that time
20 10 or II the fun would be fastest in the
town.
30 to our window We went. 1t was a case
ment and had been roughly nailed together.
that It would scarce open. but long ego
W had ioosened the nails 90 as TO let in
aif though we always replaced
them OF q morning lest their condition
should be noticed, ard the fastenings more
securely dealt with.
Now those rusty nails were withdrawn. j
for even in the dark we were acquainted
With their position. and a rush Of damp.
0ist-lsden air poured into the ROOM
Oouse ten or twelve feet below us was the I
- ~ In outhoupe. \ Light from = lower