Of course he could not make the venture alone. He must needs have a companion to help him in paddling the canoe.
But there could be no difficulty about that; one of his fellow-prisoners, Lieutenant Putnam of Connecticut, would be only too glad to join him, and, having arranged with the woman to meet her at midnight, he went off with bounding heart to find Putnam, and tell him the good news.
Putnam was at first inclined to suspect some trap.
"It seems too good to be true," he said doubtfully.
"Not a bit of it," replied Seth. "I'm sure the woman is to be trusted, and if you feel like holding back, why just say so, and I'll get somebody else."
But Putnam at once declared his readiness to share the venture, and they proceeded to perfect their plans.
The night proved favorable in every particular. It was very dark and still, and had it not been for the woman's perfect familiarity with the premises they could never have found their way to the landing-place where the canoes were drawn up.
Happily the sentries had fallen asleep, and there was no one to challenge them when they pushed off, after whispering their gratitude to the good woman who had so signally befriended them.
Out into the swift current they sent the canoe, and as they sped down stream their hearts beat high with hope, and they would have sung for joy had they dared.
"Isn't this wonderful?" Seth exclaimed when they were well out into the river. "After all our months of waiting for a chance to escape to have it come to us in this way! It seems like a dream."