CHAPTER V
THE VOICE FROM THE DISTANCE
"My idea," said Archer, when Tom returned, "is to break that stick about in half and prop the doorr just wide enough open so's we can crawl in. Then we can spread the vines all overr the top just like it was beforre and overr the opening, too. What d'ye say?"
"That's all right," said Tom, "and we can leave it a little open tonight. In the morning we'll drop it and be on the safe side."
"Maybe we'd betterr drop it tonight and be on the safe side," said Archer. "S'pose we should fall asleep."
"We'll take turns sleeping," said Tom decisively. "We can't afford to take any chances."
"You can bet I'm going to get a sooveneerr of this place, anyway," said Archer, tugging at a rusty nail.
"Never you mind about souvenirs," Tom said; "let's get this door camouflaged."
"I could swap that nail for a jack-knife back home," said Archer regretfully. "A nail right fresh from Alsace!"
But he gave it up and together they pulled the tangled vine this way and that, until the door and the opening beneath were well covered. Then they crawled in and while Archer reached up and held the door, Tom broke the stick so that the opening was reduced to the inch or two necessary for ventilation. Reaching out, they pulled the vine over this crack until they felt certain that no vestige of door or opening could be seen from without, and this done they sat down upon the straw, their backs against the walls of the vat, enjoying the first real comfort and freedom from anxiety which they had known since their escape from the prison camp.