Hilary stood in the centre of the old chapel, gazing at the closed door,
and listening to the rattle of the bolts. He was full of regrets, for,
left early an orphan, he had been in the habit of looking up to Sir
Henry somewhat in the way that a boy would regard a father; and he was
grieved to the heart to think that so old and dear a friend should look
upon him as an ingrate.
But at the same time he felt lighter at heart, and there was the
knowledge to support him that he had done his duty at a very trying
time.
"I should have felt that every right-thinking man had looked down upon
me," he said, half aloud, "and little Adela would have been ashamed when
she knew all, to call me friend."
He stood with his eyes still fixed upon the door thinking, and now his
thoughts were mingled with bitter feelings, for he was still a prisoner
at the mercy of a set of lawless men, Sir Henry being no doubt merely a
visitor here, and possessed of but little authority.
"And I know too much for them to let me go and bring a few of our lads
to rout out their nest," he said, half aloud. "Never mind, they won't
dare to kill me, unless it is by accident," he added grimly, and then he
ran to the window to see if Adela were in sight.
Practice had made him nimble now, and leaping up, he caught the bars,
drew himself into the embrasure, and peered between the bars.
"Pst! Adela!" he cried eagerly, for he could just see her light dress
between the trees.
She looked up, and came running towards the window, looking bright and
happy, and there was an eager light in her eyes.
"Why, Hil!" she cried. "I did not think you would be there now. Papa
said he thought you would soon be at liberty, and that perhaps you would
stay with us a little while before you went away."
"And should you like me to stay with you?" he said, gazing down.
"Oh, yes; so much!" she said naively. "This old place is so dull and
lonely, and I am so much alone with an old woman who waits upon us. Why
don't you come out?"
"Because I am a prisoner," he said quietly.
"But I thought--I hoped--papa said you were going to give your parole
not to escape," said Adela; "or else that you were going to join our
cause and fight for the true king."
He shook his head mournfully.
"No, Addy. I cannot give my word of honour not to escape," he said;
"because I hope to get away at the first opportunity."
"Then join our cause," cried Adela.
"No," he said, shaking his head, "I cannot join your cause, Addy,
because I am an officer appointed in the king's name to serve in one of
King George's vessels. I should be a traitor if I forsook my colours."
"But I want you to come," cried Adela, with the wayward tyranny of a
child. "It seems so stupid for you to be shut up there like a wild
beast in a cage. Oh, Hil, you must come on our side! Do!"
"Adela! Adela!" cried an imperious voice.
"Yes, papa, I am coming," she cried; and looking up quickly at the
prisoner, she nodded and laughed, and the next moment she had
disappeared.
Hilary sat watching as if in the hope that she would come back; but he
knew in his heart that she would not, and so it proved at the end of
quite a couple of hours.
"He has told her that she is to hold no communication with such a
fellow," he said to himself. "Poor little Addy! what a sweet little
thing she is growing, and what an impetuous, commanding way she has!"
He sat watching the place still, but without hope. Now and then the
girl's words came to him.
"I seem like a wild beast in a cage, do I?" he said laughing. "Very
good, Miss Addy; then I must gnaw my way out."
As he spoke his eyes fell upon the bit of worsted that was secured to
the cutlass, and he was about to draw it up when he heard footsteps
approaching from the interior, and he leaped lightly down and began
walking about the place as the door was opened, and Allstone held it
back for some of his men to enter with a couple of trusses of straw, a
couple of blankets, a rough three-legged table, and a rougher stool,
which were unceremoniously thrown or jerked down, and then, after a
suspicious look at his prisoner, Allstone motioned to the men to go.
"Is there anything else your lordship would like?" he said with a sneer.
"The best feather-beds are damp, and the carpets have been put away by
mistake. What wines would your lordship like for your dinner and would
you like silver cups or glass?"
"Now then, old Allstones, or Allbones, or Nobones, or whatever your name
is," cried Hilary, putting his arms akimbo, and taking a step nearer to
the jailer, "you are a big and precious ugly man of about forty, and I'm
only a boy; but look here, if I had you on board my ship I'd have you
triced up and flogged."
"But you are not on board your ship, my young cockerel," said the man
mockingly.
"No," cried Hilary, "but I'm all here, and if you give me any of your
sauce when you come in, I'll show you why some fellows are made officers
and some keep common seamen to the end of their days."
"And how's that?" said the ruffian with a sneer.
"Because they know how to deal with bullies and blackguards like you.
Now then, this is my room, so walk out."
He took another step forward and gazed so fiercely in the man's eyes,
that, great as was the disparity in their ages and strength, Allstone
shrank back step by step until he reached the doorway, when, if not
afraid of Hilary, he was certainly so much taken aback by the young
man's manner that he was thoroughly cowed for the moment, and shrank
away, slipping through the door and banging it after him, leaving the
prisoner to his meditations.
"Come, I've got a bed," he said, laughing, "and a chair and a table,
and--hurrah! the very thing."
He then seized the table and turned it upside down to gaze beneath, and
then replacing it, ran to the window, pulled up the cutlass, and going
to the table once more, turned it over and inserted the point of the
weapon between the side and the top, with the result that it stuck there
firmly, and upon the table being replaced upon its legs it was quite
concealed.
"There!" he cried, "that will be handy, and I daresay safe, for they
will never think of searching that after bringing it in."
This done, he proceeded to roll up his worsted for future use, and
placed it in one pocket, the piece of cord with which he had drawn up
the milk being in another.
"Why, I might have used that instead of the worsted," he said, as he
remembered it for the first time; but he recollected directly after that
it would have been too easily seen.
Then he inspected the two trusses of straw, and made his bed close
beside the opening he hoped to make by raising the slab; and then,
having carefully examined the spot, he listened to make sure that he was
not heard, and taking out his pocket-knife, went down upon his knees and
began to pick out the hard dirt and cement that filled the cracks around
the broad, flat stone.
It was rough work, but he had the satisfaction of feeling that he was
making very fair progress, scraping up the pieces from the place around,
and as fast as he secured a handful going to the window and throwing it
out with a good jerk, looking out afterwards to see if it showed, and
finding it was concealed by the long grass.
He was well upon the _qui vive_, having placed the straw close to the
place where he was at work, and holding himself in readiness at the
slightest alarm to scatter a portion over the slab.
But no one came, and he worked steadily on hour after hour till the
crack all round was quite clear, and he had no need to do more till he
tried to raise the stone by using the cutlass as a lever.
To guard against surprise he now scattered about some of the chaff and
small scraps that had been shaken out of the two bundles of straw, and
after listening attentively, he could not resist the temptation of
taking out the heavy sword and trying whether he could lift the slab.
The point went in easily, and he was just about to press upon the handle
when he snatched the weapon out and hastily thrust it back in its
hiding-place, for there was the sound of an opening door, and a minute
later Allstone walked in with a small loaf and a jug of water, placing
them upon the table with a sour and malicious look at the prisoner, who
did not even notice his presence, and then left the place.
"Bread and water, eh!" thought Hilary. "Well, the greater need for me
to get away, for ship living will be better than this."
His hearty young appetite, however, was ready to induce him to look with
favour upon food of any kind, and he set to at once, munching the bread
and refreshing himself with draughts of water.
"If this is Sir Henry's doing," he said, "it is mean; but I'll put it
down to the credit of our amiable friend Allstone. Perhaps I may be
able some day to return the compliment. We shall see."
At his time of life low spirits do not last long, and he was too full of
his idea of escape to trouble himself now about the quality of his food.
All being well, he hoped to get down into the cellar, where, among
other things it was evident that the smugglers kept their store of
spirits; he might, perhaps, find firearms as well. At all events he
hoped that the exit might prove easier than from the place where he now
was.
He was obliged to leave off eating to try to raise the slab with the
cutlass, so taking the weapon from its hiding-place, he tried the edge
of the stone, inserting the point of the sword with the greatest care,
and then pressing down the handle he found, to his great delight, that
he could easily prise up the slab, raising it now a couple of inches
before he lowered it down.
This was excellent, and the success of his project was far greater than
he had anticipated; in fact, he had expected double the difficulty in
loosening the stone.
"They are not much accustomed to having prisoners," he said, with a
half-laugh, as he replaced the cutlass beneath the table. "Why, any
fellow could get out of here."
Then, thinking that his remark in his self-communing was too conceited,
he added:
"Down into the cellar or vaults; whether one could get out afterwards is
another thing."
Returning to his stool, he worked away at the bread, steadily munching,
finding the result quieting to his hungry pains, and also a kind of
amusement to pass away the time till he felt that he might set to work
in safety, for he did not mean to commence till nearly dusk.
As he expected, towards evening Allstone came again, not to bring more
food, but to glance sharply round at the place and carefully scrutinise
his prisoner as if looking for the missing sword.
Hilary looked straight before him, whistling softly the while in the
most nonchalant manner, completely ignoring his visitor's presence, to
the man's evident annoyance, his anger finding vent in a heavy bang of
the door.
Hilary did not move for quite half an hour; then, all being perfectly
still, and the evening shadows beginning to make his prison very dim, he
rose with beating heart, listened, and all being silent as if there was
not a soul within hearing, took the cutlass from its hiding-place, and
proceeded to put his project in action.
Bending down, he once more swept aside the straw, and inserted the point
of the sword, to find that this time there was more difficulty in his
task, for he had to try several times, and in fresh positions, finding
the cutlass bend almost to breaking-point, before success crowned his
efforts, and he raised the stone sufficiently far to get his fingers
beneath, and then the task was easy, for with a steady lift he raised
one side and leaned it right up against the wall.
He had hardly accomplished this before he fancied he heard a slight
noise outside, beneath the window, and the perspiration began to stand
in a dew upon his face as he realised the fact that some one had just
placed a ladder against the wall and was ascending to look in.
If the stone was seen upraised his chance of escape was at an end, and
there was not a moment to spare, nor the slightest chance of closing it.
He glanced around, and, to his intense delight, noted that it was
getting decidedly dark in the corner where he stood; but still detection
seemed to be certain; and he had only one chance, that was--to throw
himself down and pretend to be asleep.
This he did at once, breathing heavily, and lying perfectly motionless,
but with his eyes wide open, and his ears strained to catch the
slightest sound.
He was quite right; some one was ascending a short ladder placed by his
window; and as he watched attentively he saw the opening suddenly
darkened, and some man's face gazing straight in.
It was too dark now for him to distinguish the features, and he hoped
that the obscurity would favour him by preventing the intruder from
seeing what had been done.
It was a time of terrible suspense, probably only of a minute's
duration, but it seemed to Hilary like an hour; and there he lay, with
half-closed eyes, gazing at the head so dimly-seen, wondering whether it
was Allstone, but unable to make out.
Just then a thought flashed through his brain.
Might it not be a friend?--perhaps a party from the _Kestrel_ arrived in
search of him; and, full of hope, he gazed intently at the head. But
his hopes sank as rapidly as they had risen, for he was compelled to own
that, if it had been a friend, he would have spoken or whistled, or in
some way have endeavoured to catch his attention.
At last, wearied with straining his attention, Hilary felt that he must
speak, when it seemed to him that the window grew a little lighter, and
as he gazed there was a faint scratching noise, telling that the ladder
had been removed.
He could bear it no longer, but, softly rising, he made for the window,
climbed up, and gently raising his head above the sill, peered out, to
be just able to distinguish a dark figure carrying a short ladder, which
brushed against the branches of a tree, and then a low, husky cough,
which he at once recognised, told him who his visitor had been.
"A contemptible spy!" muttered Hilary, as he dropped back into the
chapel. "Now then, has he seen or has he not?"
If he had it was useless to lower down the slab, so Hilary let it stay,
and waited minute after minute to see if he would come. But all
remained perfectly still, and, to all appearance, the people who made
the old place their rendezvous were now away.
Hilary was divided in his mind as to what he should do. To be
precipitate might ruin his chance of getting away, while if he left it
too long the smugglers might return, and his opportunity would again be
gone. He decided, then, on a medium course--to wait, as far as he could
judge, for half an hour, and then make his attempt.
Meantime he began to think of what course he should pursue when he was
free, and it seemed that all he could do would be to strike inland at
once, for that would be the safest plan. If he tried to reach the coast
the chances were that he would encounter one of the gang, or at all
events some cottager who would most probably be in their pay.
"The half-hour must be up now," he exclaimed; and, after listening at
the door, he thrust the cutlass in his belt, and made for the hole
formed by the raised flag.
"I wonder how far it is down?" he muttered. "Seven feet at the outside;
and if I lower myself gently I shall be able to touch the floor, or
perhaps I shall come down on some barrel or package."
As he spoke he lowered himself gently down, with a hand on either side
of the aperture, and then, swinging his legs about, one of them kicked
the side, showing that the cellar or vault was a little smaller in
dimensions than the place above.
He lowered himself a little more, and a little more, his sea life having
made the muscles of his arms as tough almost as iron, and at last,
having a good hold of the stones on either side, he let himself steadily
go down till his head was beneath the floor and he hung down at the full
length of his hands.
"Deeper down than I thought for," he muttered, as he swung himself to
and fro. "Shall I drop, or sha'n't I? It can't be above a foot; but
somehow one don't like to let go of a certainty, to drop no one can tell
where--perhaps on to bottles, or no one knows what."
He still swung in hesitation, for it seemed cowardly to go back, now he
was so far down; but somehow the desire to be upon the safe side
obtained the mastery, and he determined to go back.
Easier settled upon than done. His muscles were tough enough, but
somehow his position was awkward, and his hold upon the stones so slight
that, though he drew himself up twice, he did not get well above the
opening till he managed to force one toe into the niche between a couple
of the stones of the wall, when, by a sharp effort, he drew himself so
far out of the hole that he was able to seat himself upon the edge, with
his legs dangling down.
"What a lot of trouble I am taking!" he said, laughing lightly, though
at the same time he felt discomposed. "I might just as well have
dropped, but as I am up here again I may as well take soundings."
His plan of taking soundings was to fish out his ball of worsted, and,
after a moment's thought, to tie it to the handle of the brown
water-jug, and this he lowered softly down the hole.
"It's deeper down than I thought for," he said to himself, as he let the
jug right down to the extent of the worsted thread, and then knelt down
and reached as far as he could, but still without result.
"Stop a moment," he said, pulling out his piece of line, "it's lucky I
didn't leave go. Why, that worsted's at least a dozen feet long."
As he spoke he tied the end of the worsted to his piece of cord, and let
the jug down lower still, to the extent of the cord as well, quite five
yards more.
"Phew!" he whistled, as, with the cord round his finger, he reached down
as far as he could; "I should have had a drop! and--hang it, there goes
the jug!"
For at that moment the string suddenly became light, the worsted having
parted; and as he knelt there, peering down into the darkness, the
perspiration started once more from his forehead, and a curious
sensation, as of a comb with teeth of ice passing through his hair,
affected him while he listened moment after moment, moment after moment,
till there came up a dull whispering splash from below, at a distance
that was perfectly horrifying after the risk that Hilary had run.
So overcome was he by his discovery that he shrank away from the opening
in the floor completely unnerved, and unable for a time to move. He
was, in fact, like one who had received a stunning blow, and only after
some minutes had elapsed was he able to mutter a few words of
thankfulness for his escape, as he now thoroughly realised that he had
uncovered an old well of tremendous depth.