Jim had a curious sensation of feeling very brave, himself, but of not being exactly sure of the pluck and steadiness of his comrades that were to be. His next idea was that he had enough and to spare for the whole party and that he could and would see them through.
He was their captain and the whole responsibility of success or failure rested upon him. It grew heavier, too, during three long hours that he deemed it well to wait, before he arranged his bed-battering ram and began to try his heels upon the springing steel rods of his grating.
The door seemed to open harder than usual, and he was afraid he was making a noise that would be heard by the wrong persons, but at that moment the lock-bolt clicked.
“It’s open!” he said to himself. “Now for the big door, before I stir ’em up. I must see how things are.”
O, how carefully he fingered the lock of that strong, wooden portal!
“They only turned it once!” he said. “It’s a slipping!”
It slipped silently back and he turned the knob and pulled. Then, as he peered furtively out, he drew a very long breath and wheeled around and darted along the corridor.
He opened one of the doors, but just behind it stood a boy, fully dressed, with a pair of shoes in one hand.
“How is it, Jim?”
“Murphy’s asleep! Come!”