The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam Part 10

"How's that?" asked Noel.

"Why, we'll soon have the garrisons of Harper's Ferry, Martinsburg, and every other body except McClellan's army, and we have thrown out Stuart's cavalry so that there won't be a Yank able to get through either way. It won't do him any good even to try."

"Wait a little while before you say that," suggested Noel, aware that Dennis was pulling him by his sleeve.

"Whist," whispered Dennis in one of his most penetrating tones. "Don't talk anymore with the Johnnie. I have something to say to ye that is of a good deal more importance."

"I'm not interested," replied Noel. "I haven't had any supper, and I'm hungry, and I want to sleep. Are we going to be fed here?" he asked, turning to the guard.

"I reckon you will be. When I am relieved I'll see what can be done."

Conversation for a time ceased between the prisoners and their guard, but the excitement of Dennis was not to be repressed.

When at last he had induced his companion to withdraw from the door, he drew him into one corner of the room and renewed his whispering. At his companion's request his voice at last was lowered so that the guard was unable to hear what was said, and then, in spite of his weariness, in a moment Noel was eagerly listening to what the young soldier was telling him.

CHAPTER IX

THE PLOT

"Whist!" said Dennis. "I'm tellin' ye, lad, we must get out o' this place."

"That's very easy to say."

"Faith, and it's almost as aisy to do."

"Don't talk so loud, Dennis."

"'T is only whispering I am."

"Yes, but you're whispering like a steam-engine letting off steam."

In the dim light the actions of the young soldiers were not clearly seen by the good-natured guard. In spite of the easy-going manner of the Confederate in charge of them, Noel was aware that the utmost care must be used. The man himself had said that he was one of the sharpshooters, and that he would quickly act if an attempt to break away was made, he had no doubt.

"'T is silent entirely I am," said Dennis, for a moment dropping his voice lower. "But have you noticed what there is in the wall above us?"

"No," replied Noel. "What is it?"

As he spoke he looked quickly in the direction indicated by his companion, but his action was abruptly ended when Dennis roughly seized him by the shoulder and said almost savagely, "What are you doin', lad?

Don't look there, whatever else you do! Kape your eyes on the floor.

Now, listen to what I am sayin' to ye. In the ceilin' there's a small slide, leastwise I think it's a slide, though I'm not sure. It may be a trapdoor that will lift up or somethin' of that kind."

"Yes! Yes! Go on," said Noel eagerly, as his companion stopped a moment.

"Me own thought," continued Dennis, after he was satisfied that the two prisoners were not observed by their guard, "is that it won't be long before we'll have a chance to go up into that loft. We'll push back the door, or the slide, or whatever it is, and if we can do that without makin' any disturbance, we'll drop it back into place and hold it so that n.o.body can get up there. Probably they won't think we have gone up above, anyway." Dennis laughed lightly as he spoke.

"Just where is that door, Dennis?" inquired Noel.

"Shure, and it's right above your head."

"How are we going to get through it? I mean how will you open it?"

"That remains to be seen," answered Dennis, "but it's shure I am that it will be aisy."

"But how will you do it?" demanded Noel once more.

"When the time comes," said Dennis, "I'll inform you, but for a spell we'll have to be careful not to wake the suspicions of the guard."

Walking abruptly from his companion, Dennis approached the soldier and said lightly, "Aren't you goin' to feed your prisoners pretty soon? Why, 't is night comin' on and we haven't had a bite of any kind since mornin'."

"I'll see what can be done when I'm relieved," said the soldier. "Now don't talk to me any more and be on your good behavior, too. I don't think it will be wise for you and the other Yank to do much whispering, either. I'm always afraid of Yanks when they get off in a corner, especially if it's in the dark."

"All right," laughed Dennis. "I'll put the lad over in the other corner of the room and I'll stay right here by you."

"I don't care where you stay if you'll only keep still. You mustn't talk to me, because if you do you are likely to get both of us into trouble.

When we get the room full of Yanks, then we'll enforce a little different discipline."

It was dark when the guard was relieved, but soon after his place had been taken by one of his companions he returned with some corn-bread and some "coffee" made of toast. Humble as the fare was, it was eagerly received by the young prisoners, and when the scanty meal was ended Dennis said to the guard, "Shure, and you 're goin' to give us a blanket or somethin' to sleep on, aren't ye?"

"Don't speak to me!" ordered the soldier.

"All right for yez," said Dennis good-naturedly. "If we have to slape on the floor, we might as well begin to learn how to do the trick now as any time. Come on, Noel," he called to his companion.

Convinced that their actions were keenly watched by the guard, Dennis simply dropped upon the floor and bade his companion take his place beside him. "'Tis hard slapin' here, Noel," he whispered, "but I'm thinkin' that it won't be long that we'll have to tarry here. I'll tell ye a bit more about me plans now."

"Don't let the guard hear you whispering," warned Noel.

"Niver a bit," said Dennis, his voice becoming so piercing that Noel seized his companion's arm as a warning.

"I'm that still," continued Dennis, "that I can hear the mice holdin' a pow-wow down under the floor. Now listen to me, lad. We can't do anything to-night, but if the Johnnies don't put too many men in here with us, it may be that to-morrow night or the night after that we can begin our escape."

"How?" inquired Noel eagerly.

"Well, I was tellin' ye about the trapdoor, or the slide. I'm a bit fearful o' this fellow on guard now, so that we won't try that out to-night, but lave it to some other time. And I'm hopin' that to-morrow night will be the darkest ever known. I'll get you to hold me up on your shoulders, and then if you brace yoursilf against the wall, I'll see if the door cannot be pushed back. I fancy that will be all we'll be able to do the first night, but if I find that the thing works, then within a night or two we can try it over again, and I'll push the door back with me hands and then I'll climb up and hide in the loft."

"And leave me down in the room below, I suppose?"

"Not a bit of it, lad! Not a bit of it! I'll take hold of your hands and lift you clear up where I am. Then we'll let down the door, and put it back in its place and put a bar across it, or hold it with our hands, so that no one can get up there, though I'm thinkin' no one will ever suspect us of havin' gone up through the roof."

"What good would it do you to be in that room instead of in this?"

inquired Noel. "You won't be able to get away."

"Indade, an' I will, if the night is dark enough," said Dennis. "Did you notice the magnolia tree growin' close to the side of the house?"

"Which side?"