“Your cell!” whispered Jack, panic-stricken. “And they weren’t due to look in on you for four days. It’s all up! They’ll discover the cell is empty and give the—Where are you going, man?” he broke off, as Drummond, leaving his place near the door, groped his way hurriedly along the wall.
“To squeeze my way back and make a fight for it. It’s better than—”
“Wait!”
Lamont’s hand was on his shoulder, and he whispered a sharp command for silence. The two attendants had halted in front of Number Two, and while the lantern-bearer fumbled with the awkward bolt, his companion was saying:
“Hold on! After all, I’ll bring the other his food first, I think.”
“But,” remonstrated the lantern-bearer, “the Governor said we were to bring the Englishman to him at once.”
“What if he did? How will he know we stole a half minute to give the Prince his dinner? If we bring the Englishman upstairs first, the Prince may have to wait an hour before we can get back with the Englishman.”
“Let him wait, then.”
“With his pocket full of roubles? Not I. He may decide to give no more of his gold pieces to a gaoler who lets him go hungry too long.”
“I’ve got the door unfastened now and—”