Part 22 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXVI

IN THE MOW

”All quiet along the Potomac,” remarked Jim, as no disturbance was heard from the direction of the house.

”Not a sound was heard, not a funeral note,” added the engineer, with his usual whimsical humor.

”I bet that there will be a few funeral notes for that fellow who let go the rope,” put in Jim.

”Not to speak of what would happen to us if old Broome should get his hand on we 'uns,” remarked the engineer casually.

”He's just mad enough to chaw iron,” grinned Jim. ”Well, now, here's for a little acrobatics.”

Jim leaped up to the stone and cement parapet in which the iron fence was set, taking care to leave a few mud traces on the cement; then he went along for some little distance from iron bar to iron bar, and when he rested he did not do so on the wall, so that all trace of their trail was practically lost, even to the nose of a bloodhound. John Berwick followed him with greater agility than Jim showed, for he was much lighter, and very wiry, so that it was easy work for him compared with the heavier Jim.

Berwick did not guess what their destination might be, though he had some idea that Jim's scheme was to get down to the beach, but how this was to be done without getting outside of the grounds he could not figure. Then close by he saw the faint outline of a building through the fog, and he thought for the moment that they had come back to the house; however, he recognized it as the stable. This building was a rustic affair, built with logs that still had the bark on, and had originally cost much more than a stone or brick structure would.

”Here we are,” said Jim in a low voice; ”now look out for the hound.”

”I don't believe that he is here now,” said Berwick.

This proved to be the case, and they were able to slip into the stable without anyone being the wiser. It seemed like a refuge to the two comrades after the hazards that they had run during the past few hours.

And even Jim was f.a.gged and worn, and now that there was time for reaction his face showed it. There were deep cuts of fatigue in his cheeks and his eyes looked haggard. They also burned, and his head was full of a sort of vacant daze, from sleeplessness.

”I don't know, John, whether I'm hungrier or sleepier, but if I had to choose I think that I would select a nap.”

”You have had it a lot harder than I have, old chap,” said the engineer; ”take a lay-off and get some sleep.”

”I believe I will,” agreed Jim; ”I don't imagine that we will be disturbed for some time at least.”

There was plenty of hay in the warm, dusky mow, and a cozy, safe place to rest in.

”I tell you what, Chief,” said Jim, ”let's both take a sleep, and then we will be fresh for what may happen next.”

”It wouldn't take much urging,” replied the engineer; ”I'm half dead for sleep myself, but we had better make the doors secure first, in case they should look for us here.”

”No,” rejoined Jim, ”leave everything open; if they came to the stable and found it locked on the inside, they would know, for sure, that we were in here.”

”But suppose some of the gang come in here while we are asleep, they would be certain sure to hear one or both of us snoring.”

”That's right enough,” agreed Jim, ”but I tell you what we can do, we'll crawl down under the hay, get close to the wall, and our loudest snores would be smothered.”

”I guess you're right,” agreed Berwick. ”So lead on and I will follow.”

”This reminds me of when I was a boy,” declared Jim; ”when we used to tunnel in the hay to hide in the old barn on the back lot.”

”When you were a boy,” exclaimed Berwick, in good-natured raillery. ”How old do you consider yourself now, I should like to know?”

”Oh, I've lived in heartbeats, not in years,” said Jim; ”that makes me about a hundred years old.”