"Now," cried Hans; "now or never!"
He jerked the lid off the hole.
Down went the Herr Lieutenant, his feet landing in the sewer, his head still in view.
"Good," he said, "good! There is space enough below."
Then down he went, and Hans saw him no more.
The old man had kept for himself the hard task. He must cover the drain after him with the lid. Down he went, holding the cover in his hand above him, for the drain was too narrow for him to lift his arm once in.
"Ach Himmel," he thought, "the rain is ceasing."
Then he lowered the lid, balanced on his palm, and as he struggled into the sewer proper it fell into its place with a crash.
"Ach Himmel," said the old soldier, for he was sure the noise would tell the story. But he pushed forward eagerly.
Only the thought of liberty could make such an awful journey possible.