‘But you must. What’s the good of you’re staying here? You can’t do us any good. You’ve got all your life before you, so what’s the good of being silly, now, I want to know?’
‘Then you must find out, my dear Jimmy. I’m not going to leave you.’
That night the little cavalry clique gathered together in one corner of the general room, and Linham solemnly put to them the facts of the case.
‘Blair has a chance of escape,’ he said, ‘and he won’t take it.’
Then the details were gone into, and the unselfish fellows unanimously agreed that Jack must go.
‘Not without Jim,’ said Jack.
But they told him that was nonsense.
Next morning Jack again sought Sergius, and fought a big fight with him. In the end he agreed to include Linham in the party, though he said it would increase the risk of detection.
Then Linham was obstinate and refused to go till Jack declared he would not go without him, and so at last it was decided.
The secret was told to most of the prisoners, who immediately set about writing letters to relatives and friends, which Jack and Linham were to take with them. Final arrangements were made with Sergius, and on the fourth day Jack and Linham were to make their attempt.