It was as if this suggestion excited Nathan to a yet more brilliant flight of fancy in the line of escape, for suddenly he darted toward the door where he stood a moment in the attitude of a listener, and then retracing his steps, whispered to Evan:
"It is almost certain the Britishers are on the floor below. This Tory has the key of the door in his pocket——"
"Surely you are not thinking of attempting to make your way down past all those who have taken possession of the house?"
"By no means; yet what will prevent our venturing into some of the chambers nearby, where perchance we shall find what will serve as a lever to remove these bars."
Evan seized his comrade's hands ecstatically. There was every reason to believe such a venture might be made, and without waiting to discuss it he began searching Ephraim's pockets for the key.
This was soon found. A bulky iron instrument fashioned by hand, and mostlike brought from the mother country, it could not well be concealed.
Cautiously, lest the slightest grating of the iron should give the alarm, the boys shot the bolt back; the door was opened, and they were at last free of the upper portion of the house.
It was not safe to loiter in their work, however, for at any moment some one might come from below to ascertain what Ephraim was doing, and the boys moved as swiftly as they did noiselessly until, when hardly more than a minute had elapsed, they had in their possession such tools as it seemed positive would enable them to effect the purpose.
An old musket barrel, and a strip of oak which went to make up a quilting-frame, were the articles which the lads brought into the room, carefully barring the door behind them and replacing the key in Ephraim's pocket.
These implements would serve to pry off the bars of the window, but whether it might be done silently or not was a matter that could only be determined by experiment.