While considering the situation, I imagined I heard my jailer returning, and my heart jumped into my throat. What if Booth should see the damage I had done? I reckoned that things would go hard with me if it became known that I had attempted to break jail. Judge Penfold would surely give me the full penalty of the law.
But the approach of Booth was only imaginary, and, after a brief interval of silence, I breathed freer.
I ascends the stairs once more to see if I could not find something besides the keg to assist me. If only I had a plank or a beam, I might use it as a battering-ram.
The thought of a plank led me to examine the floor, and, going over it carefully, I soon came to a short board, one end of which was loose. Raising it, I pulled with all my might, and the board came up.
I was astonished to see that it made an opening into the shop below. I had imagined that the floor or ceiling was of double thickness.
This gave me a new idea. Why not escape through the floor? To pry up another board would perhaps be easier than to force the door.
I tried the board next to the opening. The end was somewhat rotted, and it came up with hardly an effort.
In another moment the opening would be large enough to allow the passage of my body. Putting the first board under the edge of the second, I bore down upon it.
As I did so I heard a noise that alarmed me greatly. It was the sound of Booth returning, and the next instant the carpenter had opened the outer door and entered.
In one hand he carried a tray containing my dinner. He crossed the floor directly under me without looking up. Then his eyes caught the shattered door and he gave a loud exclamation.