“So far so good,” he muttered.
Getting into the open was now a simple matter. Frank knew full well that a careful watch was not being kept, so now he walked boldly on.
Turning eastward and feeling that he was free at last, he broke into a quick trot.
This almost proved his undoing, for suddenly a voice out of the darkness challenged him.
“Who goes there?”
“Friend,” replied Frank.
The challenger approached. One glance at his British naval uniform was enough. The man attempted to bring his gun to bear, but Frank was too quick for him. Jumping suddenly forward, he knocked up the weapon, and then, with two terrific punches, laid the man low.
But the sound of this scuffle had attracted half a dozen other figures and now Frank found himself surrounded.
“They will have to fight to take me back there,” he said through clenched teeth, and not waiting for his foes to come to the attack, he plunged into the midst of them.
When Jack and Lord Hastings advanced toward the struggling knot of men they had no idea what was going on; but Frank, over the shoulders of his foes, saw them.