Part 29 (2/2)
”Very well; we'll work away until our excavation connects, and we have made it of sufficient diameter for you to squeeze through. You are then in my cell. We put out our lights, and you conceal yourself behind the door. Gaoler and man with the lantern come in. You must be very careful not to close the door, because if you once shove it shut we can't open it from this side, even though it is unlocked and the bolts drawn.
It fits like wax, and almost hermetically seals the room. You spring forward, and deal the gaoler with your fist one of your justly celebrated English knock-down blows, immediately after felling the man with the lantern. Knowing something of the weight of your blow, I take it that neither of the two men will recover consciousness until we have taken off their outer garments, secured revolvers and keys. Then we lock them in, you and I on the outside.”
”My dear Jack, we don't need any tunnel to accomplish that. The first time these two men come into my room, I can knock them down as easily here as there.”
”I thought of that, and perhaps you could, but you must remember we have only one shot. If you made a mistake; if the lantern man bolted and fired his pistol, and once closed the door--he would not need to pause to lock it--why, we are done for. I should be perfectly helpless in the next room, and after the attempt they'd either drown us, or put us into worse cells as far apart as possible.”
”I don't think I should miss fire,” said Drummond, confidently, ”still, I see the point, and will obey orders.”
”My official position on the rock, ever since I arrived, has been that of electrical tutor-in-chief to the Governor. I have started his dynamo working, and have wired such portions of the place as were not already wired before. During these lessons I have kept my eyes open. So far as the prison is concerned, there is the Governor, a sort of head clerk, the gaoler and his a.s.sistant; four men, and that is all. The gaoler's a.s.sistant appears to be the cook of the place, although the cooking done is of the most limited description. The black bread is brought from St.
Petersburg, I think, as also tinned meat and soup; so the cuisine is on a somewhat limited scale.”
”Do you mean to say that only these four men are in charge of the prison?”
”Practically so, but there is the garrison as well. The soldiers live in a suite of rooms directly above us, and as near as I can form an opinion, there are fourteen men and two officers. When a steamer arrives they draft as many soldiers as are necessary, unload the boat; then the Tommies go upstairs again. The military section apparently holds little intercourse with the officials, whom they look upon as gaolers. I should judge that the military officer is chief of the rock, because when he found the Governor's room lit by electricity, he demanded the same for his quarters. That's how I came to get upstairs. Now, these stairs are hewn in the rock, are circular, guarded by heavy oaken doors top and bottom, and these doors possess steel bolts on both sides of them. It is thus possible for either the military authorities upstairs, or the civil authorities, to isolate themselves from the others. In case of a revolt among the soldiers, the Governor could bolt them into their attic, and they would find great difficulty in getting out. Now, my plan of procedure is this. We will disarm gaoler and a.s.sistant, take their keys, outside garments and caps. The gaoler's toggery will fit you, and the other fellow's may do for me. Then we will lock them in here, and if we meet clerk or Governor in the pa.s.sages we will have time to overcome either or both before they are aware of the change. I'll go up the circular stair, bolt from the inside the upper door, and afterwards bolt the lower door. Then we open all the cells, and release the other prisoners, descend from the rock, get into the Finnish fis.h.i.+ng boat, keep clear of the two cannon that are up above us, and sail for the Swedish coast. We can't miss it; we have only to travel west, and ultimately we are safe. There is only one danger, which is that we may make our attempt when the steamer is here, but we must chance that.”
”Isn't there any way of finding out? Couldn't you pump the Governor?”
”He is always very much on his guard, and is a taciturn man. The moment the tunnel is finished I shall question him about some further electrical material, and then perhaps I may get a hint about the steamer. I imagine she comes irregularly, so the only safe plan would be for us to make our attempt just after she had departed.”
”Would there be any chance of our finding a number of the military downstairs?”
”I don't think so. Now that they have their electric light they spend their time playing cards and drinking vodka.”
”Very well, Jack, that scheme seems reasonably feasible. Now, get through your material to me, and issue your instructions.”
CHAPTER XIX --”STONE WALLS DO NOT A PRISON MAKE”
IN a very short time Drummond became as expert at the rock dissolving as was his friend. He called it piffling slow work, but was nevertheless extremely industrious at it, although days and weeks and, as they suspected, months, pa.s.sed before the hands of the two friends met in the center of the rock. One lucky circ.u.mstance that favored them was the habit of the gaoler in visiting Drummond only once every four days.
The Lieutenant made his difficult pa.s.sage, squeezing through the newly completed tunnel half an hour after a loaf had been set upon his table.
Jack knew that the steamer had recently departed, because, two days before, the Governor had sent for him, and had exhibited a quant.i.ty of material recently landed, among other things a number of electric bells and telephones which the Governor was going to have set up between himself and the others, and also between his room and that of the clerk and gaoler. There were dry batteries, and primary batteries, and many odds and ends, which made Jack almost sorry he was leaving the place.
Heavy steps, m.u.f.fled by the thickness of the door, sounded along the outer pa.s.sage.
”Ready?” whispered Jack. ”Here they come. Remember if you miss your first blow, we're goners, you and I.”
Drummond made no reply, for the steps had come perilously near and he feared to be heard. Noiselessly he crossed the cell and took up his position against the wall, just clear of the s.p.a.ce that would be covered by the opening of the door.
At the same moment Jack switched off the light, leaving the room black.
Each of the two waiting prisoners could hear the other's short breathing through the darkness.
On came the shuffling footsteps of the gaoler and lantern-bearer.
They had reached the door of Number One, had paused, had pa.s.sed on and stopped in front of Number Two.
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