“My father!”
“I talk to some men, an' da tell me prisoners come in last night—some from Rodania, udders from udder places. Americano in a prison by himself, near the river. I swim up close to dat prison—maybe we make hole in wall an' git him out.”
“Could we do that, Jorge, without being discovered?”
“Tink so, señor—work at night—now, maybe. Swim under river an' come up by fort, den dig with machetes—make hole under fort.”
“If only we could do that!” I cried; and then, struck with a sudden idea, I caught Jorge by the arm. “Jorge, if I go, will you come and show me the way and help me?”
“Yes, señor.”
“Then let us go at once, without arousing the others. More than two might spoil the plan. Go back to the road and wait for me.”
The guide did as directed, and I turned back into camp. Here I awoke the man previously mentioned, and told him I was going off to meet Jorge. He but partly understood, but arose to do guard duty, and I hurried off.
I felt that I was not doing just right in not notifying Captain Guerez and Alano, but I was impatient to meet my father and was afraid if I told them what Jorge had said they would want to delay matters. As events turned out it would probably have been much better had I been guided by their advice.