By Conduct and Courage Part 33

"Yes, but not a large number. The prison is strongly guarded at night, but not the outer walls; I have often watched. There is one other thing which I shall want, and that is a sack in which to put this long box. I carry it, as you see, full of goods, but to-day I have intentionally abstained from selling any of them. I will leave the things with you if you have any place in which to hide them."

"I will put them under my bed," the girl said. "My grand'mere never goes into my room. Besides, she is generally away at the time you will arrive, and if she is not she will not hear you go upstairs, as she is very deaf.

My father is one of the warders of the prison, and only comes home once a week."

Will then returned to the prison. When the appointed day arrived he put only a few small articles into his box. For these he paid cash. Then he said good-bye to four or five of the officers with whom he was most friendly.

"You are mad to try to escape," one of them said, "there is no getting over the walls."

"I am going to try at any rate. I am utterly sick of this life."

"But you may be exchanged before long."

"It is most improbable," he said. "Only a few are exchanged at a time, and as I have not a shadow of influence my name would not be included in the list."

"But how are you going to attempt it?"

"Now that I must keep to myself. A plan may succeed once, but may fail if it is tried again. I really think I have a chance of getting through, but of course I may be caught. However, I am going to take the risk."

"Well, I wish you luck, but I can hardly even hope that you will succeed."

After going about the town as usual, without making any serious effort to sell his goods, Will made his way, towards the end of the day, to the house in the lane. Marie was standing at the door. As he approached she looked anxiously up and down the street, to be certain that there was no one there, and then beckoned to him to enter quickly. He obeyed at once, and she closed the door behind him. "Are you sure no one saw you enter, monsieur?" she said.

"Yes," he said, "I am quite certain."

"Now," said Marie, "you must go at once up to the attic in case my grand'mere should come in. I have everything ready for you there. It will be dark in half an hour. I hear the prison bell ringing for the return of the prisoners who are out, but the roll-call is not made until all have returned to their cells and are locked up for the night, which will not be for an hour and a half, so you have plenty of time."

"I thank you with all my heart, mademoiselle."

He went up with her to the attic and looked out at the wall. The lane was only some twelve feet across, and he was convinced that he could leap it without difficulty. He emptied his box and repacked it, selecting chiefly articles which would take up the smallest amount of room. He made quite sure how he could best climb from the window to the roof above it, then he waited with what patience he could until it was absolutely dark. When he was ready to start he fastened the rope firmly round the box and said good-bye to Marie.

His last words were: "I will do my very best for Lucien, and when the war is over I will send you a gold watch to wear at your wedding."

Then he got upon the window-sill, with the end of the rope tied round his waist, and with some little difficulty climbed to the roof of the house, and when he had got his breath began to pull at the rope and hoisted up the box. He had, before starting, put on the disguise Marie had bought for him, and handed her the remains of his uniform, telling her to burn it at once, and to hide away the b.u.t.tons for the present, and throw them away the first time she left the town. "There will be a strict search," he said, "for any signs of me, and those b.u.t.tons would certainly betray you if they were found."

When he got the box up he listened attentively for a little, and as, to his great joy, he could not hear the footsteps of a sentinel, he threw it on to the wall and jumped after it. He landed on his feet, and, picking up the box, ran along the wall till he came to a gun. He tied the end of the rope round this and slipped down. Then without a moment's delay he slung the box over his shoulder and walked away. He had two or three outworks to pa.s.s, but luckily there were no guards, so he made his way through them without difficulty. All night he tramped on, and by morning was forty miles away from Verdun. He did not want to begin to ply his a.s.sumed trade till he was still farther away, so he lay down to sleep in a large wood.

He had saved from his rations during the week a certain amount of bread, and he had bought a couple of loaves while wandering with his wares through the town. He slept for the best part of the day, and started again at night. Beyond making sure that he was going west he paid but little attention to the roads he followed, but, keeping steadily in that direction, he put another forty miles between him and Verdun by the following morning. Then after a few hours' sleep he boldly went into a village and entered an inn.

"You are a pedlar," the landlord said, "are you not?"

"Yes," he said, "I am selling wares manufactured by the prisoners at Verdun."

The news spread and the villagers flocked in to look at these curiosities.

"I bought them at a low price, and will sell at the same. They could not be made by ordinary labour at ten times the price I charge for them."

The bait took, and soon a good many small articles were sold. Two hours later he again started on his way.

CHAPTER XV

ESCAPED

So he travelled across France, avoiding all large towns. Once or twice he got into trouble with a pompous village official on account of his not holding a pedlar's permit; but the feeling of the people was strong in favour of a man who was selling goods for the benefit of poor prisoners, and, of course, he always had some plausible story ready to account for its absence. At last he came to Dunkirk. He had saved money as he went, and on his arrival there had eight louis in his pocket. He took up a lodging at a little cabaret, and, leaving his box, which was now almost empty, strolled down to the harbour. Fishing-boats were coming in and going out. Observing that they were not very well manned, probably because many of the men had been drafted into the navy, he selected one which had but four men, a number barely sufficient to raise the heavy lug-sail, and when she made fast alongside the quay he went on board.

"Do you want a hand?" he said, "I am not accustomed to the sea, but I have no doubt I could haul on a rope as well as others."

"Where do you come from," one asked, "and how is it that you have escaped the conscription?"

"I am exempt," he said, "as the only son of my mother. I come from Champagne."

"But why have you left?"

"I came away because the girl I was engaged to jilted me for a richer suitor, and I could not stop there to see her married; I should have cut his throat or my own. So I have tramped down here to see if I can find some work for a time."

"You are a fool for your pains," the skipper said. "No girl is worth it."

"Ah, you never could have been jilted! If you had been you wouldn't think so lightly of it."

"Well, mates, what do you say? Shall we take this young fellow? He looks strong and active, and I dare say will suit us."

"At any rate we can give him a trial for a voyage or two."

"Well, you may begin by helping us up into the town with our fish. We have had a heavy catch to-day."

Will at once shouldered a basket and went up with them to the market-place.

"We are going to get a drink," the fisherman said. "Let us see how well you can sell for us. You must get a franc a kilogramme. Here are scales."

For a couple of hours Will sold fish, attracting, by his pleasant face, buyers who might otherwise have pa.s.sed him; and when the fishermen returned they were pleased to find that he had almost sold out their stock, and accounted for his take to the last sou.

"I have been watching you all the time," the captain said, "though you did not know. I wanted to see if you were honest, and, now that I have a proof of it, will take you willingly. The pay is twelve francs a week and a tenth share in the sales. The boat takes a third, I take two, and the sailors take one apiece, and you will have half a share besides your pay till you know your business. Do you agree to that?"

"Yes," Will said.

Accordingly he settled down to the work of a fisherman, and gave great satisfaction. His mates were indeed astonished at the rapidity with which he learned his work, and congratulated themselves upon the acquisition of so promising a recruit.

A month after he had joined the smack a ship-of-war was seen sailing along three miles from sh.o.r.e. The fishermen were half-way between her and the land, and paid no great attention to her, knowing that British men-of-war did not condescend to meddle with small fishing-boats. Will waited until the captain and one of the men were below; then, suddenly pushing the hatch to and throwing a coil of rope over it, he produced from his pockets a brace of pistols which he had bought at Dunkirk out of the stock of money he had had in his pocket when he was captured, and ordered the man at the helm to steer for the frigate. The man let go the tiller at once, and he and his companion prepared to make a rush upon Will. But the sight of the levelled pistols checked them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "HE ORDERED THE MAN AT THE HELM TO STEER FOR THE FRIGATE"]

"You will come to no harm," Will said. "You have but to put me on board, and I warrant you shall be allowed to depart unmolested. I am an English officer. Now, down with the helm without hesitation, or I will put a bullet through your head; and do you, Jacques, sit down by his side."

Sullenly the men obeyed his orders, and the boat went dancing through the water in a direction which, Will calculated, would enable him to cut off the frigate. In the meantime the captain and his companion, unable to understand what was going on, were thumping at the hatchway. Will, however, paid no attention to them, but stood on it, keeping his eye upon the men in the stern. Twenty minutes brought them close to the frigate, which, on seeing a small boat making for her, threw her sails aback to wait for it. As they came close a rope was thrown; Will grasped it and swung himself up the side, leaving the boat to drift away. The sailors stood looking in surprise at him, but Will went straight up to the first lieutenant.