He could hardly believe his good fortune when he found the fastening to be only a piece of iron thrust through the handle of the latch. Pulling out the bar, he opened the door and entered. On a narrow bed against the opposite wall the young lieutenant was quietly sleeping, but with the first movement of his rescuer he was aroused, asking:
“Who is it?”
“Hush!” was the cautious reply. “Late and me have overpowered the guard. Wait until we put him in your bed. Then we’ll be off.”
The lad went back to his comrade, and together they carried the soldier, still unconscious because of having been choked so severely, into the chamber. The lieutenant helped them bind the Britisher’s hands and feet, and to muffle his mouth so that he could not cry out. Then all three left the room, fastening the door behind them. Down the hall, into the little room at its rear, and out of the window upon the roof of the lean-to they went cautiously.
At this moment they heard footsteps not far away, and laid down on the slanting roof. The intruder evidently crawled into the shed, and, believing he had gone there for the night, the fugitives slipped down to the lower edge of the building, when, swinging themselves to the ground, they made off through the darkness.
The young scouts were at the mouth of the ravine when the cry of fire startled them. Looking back they saw that the lean-to they had just left was in flames.
During a moment they silently gazed at the burning building, and then Dan said:
“The whole barracks will go.”
“I hope that guard may get out,” Late added.
“The fellow we heard crawling into the shed set fire to it, and I’ll tell you who he was,” Philip said solemnly.