"Oh, all right. I thought perhaps that something had gone wrong with the exhaust pumps."
"Oh, no; they are working most splendidly," announced Dacres. "We've decided to wait till the sentries quiet down after being visited by the rounds."
"Do you think you could do better by descending about a mile from the prison and scaling the walls?" asked the Captain.
"The difficulty would be to get the rescued prisoners to the airship, sir; I think we had better stick to our original plans."
"Very good," was Whittinghame's only comment.
Slowly the minutes sped, till Dacres, shutting the case of his watch with an emphatic snap, gave the order to descend.
Far below the glimmer of a match told its own tale. One of the sentries was lighting a cigarette.
"Look out," whispered Callaghan. "Blest if the four of 'em aren't altogether. That's a bit of all right."
The quarter-master spoke truly. Three of the Valderian soldiers had deserted their posts and had joined the one stationed on the west wall—that nearest to the city.
"Silly asses!" ejaculated Dacres "they are playing into our hands."