One of the boxes had been left open, and Dave used this for a seat. As the train bumped along, making probably twenty-five or thirty miles an hour, he felt in the box and presently brought out a small piece of machinery shaped something like a jimmy.
As the train rattled on the young lieutenant heard one prisoner ask another what time it was and found out that it was close to ten o’clock in the evening. The rain had stopped, but it was still cloudy, with no stars showing themselves.
“If I could only get out of this car I might have a chance to hide in some good place before daylight,” Dave reasoned. “If the door was open, I think I’d take a chance on jumping out, even though this old train is running along at fairly good speed.”
He was sitting not far from one of the doors of the car, and now he examined this as best he could in the darkness. Then he took the piece of machinery in his hand and forced it between the door and its frame.
“What are you trying to do there?” questioned one of the other prisoners who was at his side.
“I’m going to try to force this door open,” answered our hero.
“What? And jump out in the darkness? You’ll break your neck!” was the quick reply.
“I’ll see about what I’ll do after I get the door open—if I can get it open,” answered the young lieutenant.
Fortunately for our hero, the car was an old one and the fastenings were rather dilapidated. By using the piece of machinery as a jimmy, he forced the edge of the door outwards until there came a sudden snap which showed that the lock had been broken. Then the lock fell away and the door slid open with ease.
“Hello, somebody has opened the door!” cried a voice in the darkness.