with lee in virginia-第31章

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aid　Dan　in　finding　it。　　In　two　or　three　minutes　he　felt　a　jerk；　and

knew　that　Dan　had　got　it。　　He　fastened　the　end　of　the　string　to　the

rope　and　waited。　　The　rope　was　gradually　drawn　up；　when　it

neared　the　end　he　fastened　it　to　the　stone　seat。



〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃up　you　go；　Geary。〃



The　order　in　which　they　were　to　ascend　had　been　settled　by　lot；　as

Geary　insisted　that　Vincent；　who　had　contrived　the　whole　affair；

should　be　the　first　to　escape；　but　Vincent　declined　to　accept　the

advantage；　and　the　three　had　accordingly　tossed　up　for　precedence。



Geary　was　quickly　over；　and　lowered　himself　on　the　opposite　side。　

The　others　followed　safely；　but　not　without　a　good　deal　of　scraping

against　the　wall；　for　the　smallness　of　the　rope　added　to　the

difficulty　of　climbing　it。　However；　the　noise　was　so　slight　that　they

had　little　fear　of　attracting　attention；　especially　as　the　sentries

would　be　standing　in　their　boxes；　for　the　rain　was　now　coming

down　pretty　briskly。　　As　soon　as　they　were　down　Vincent　seized

Dan　by　the　hand。



〃My　brave　lad；〃　he　said；　〃I　owe　you　my　freedom；　and　I　sha'n't

forget　it。　　Now；　where　are　the　clothes？〃



〃Here　day　are；　sah。　　One　is　a　rough　suit；　like　a　workingman's；

another　is　a　black…and…white　sort　of　suit…a　check…suit；　de　oder　one

is　for　you…a　clargy's　suit；　sir。　You　make　very　nice　young　minister；

for　sure。〃



〃All　right；　Dan！〃　Vincent　said　laughing；　〃give　me　the　minister's

suit。〃



〃Then　I　will　be　the　countryman；〃　Geary　said。



There　was　a　litte　suppressed　laughter　as　they　changed　their　clothes

in　the　dark；　and　then；　leaving　their　uniforms　by　the　wall；　they

shook　hands　and　started　at　once　in　different　directions；　lest　they

might　come　across　some　one　who　would；　when　the　escape　was

known；　remember　four　men　having　passed　him　in　the　dark。



〃Now；　Dan；　what　is　the　next　move？〃　Vincent　asked　as　they　walked

off。　　〃Have　you　fixed　upon　any　plan？〃



〃No　special　plan；　sah；　but　I　have　brought　a　bag；　you　see　I　have　him

in　my　hand。〃



〃I　suppose　that's　what　you　carried　the　clothes　in？〃



〃No；　sir；　I　carried　dam　in　a　bundle。　　Dis　bag　has　got　linen；　and

boots；　and　oder　tings　for　you；　sah。　　What　I　tink　am　de　best　way　is

dis。　　Dar　am　a　train　pass　tron　here　at　two　o'clock　and　stop　at　dis

station。　　Some　people　always　get　out。　　Dar　is　an　hotel　just　opposite

the　station；　and　some　of　de　passengers　most　always　go　there。　　I

thought　the　best　way　for　you　would　be　to　go　outside　the　station。

Just　when　the　train　come　in　we　walk　across　de　road　wid　the　others

and　go　to　hotel。　　You　say　you　want　bedroom　for　yo'self；　and　that

your　sarvant　can　sleep　in　do　ball。　Den　in　de　morning　you　get　up

and　breakfast；　and　go　off　by　do　fust　train。〃



〃But　then　they　may　send　down　to　look　at　the　passengers　starting；

and　I　should　be　taken　at　once。〃



〃De　train　go　out　at　seven　o'clock；　sah。　　I　don't　expect　day　find　dat

you　have　got　away　before　dat。〃



〃No；　Dan。　　We　all　turn　out　at　seven；　and　I　shall　be　missed　then；　but

it　will　be　some　little　time　before　the　alarm　is　given；　and　they　find

out　how　we　got　away；　and　send　out　search…parties。　　If　the　train　is

anything　like　punctual　we　shall　be　off　long　before　they　get　to　the

station。〃



〃Besides；　sab；　dar　are　not　many　people　knows　your　face；　and　it　not

likely　de　bery　man　dat　know　you　come　to　the　station。　　Lots　of　oder

places　to　search；　and　day　most　sure　to　tink　you　go　right　away…not

tink　you　venture　to　stop　in　town　till　the　morning。〃



〃That　is　so；　Dan；　and　I　think　your　plan　is　a　capital　one。〃



Dan's　suggestion　was　carried　out；　and　at　seven　o'clock　next

morning　they　ware　standing　on　the　platform　among　a　number　of

other　parsons　waiting　for　the　train。　　Just　as　the　locomotive's　whistle

was　heard　the　sound　of　a　cannon　boomed　out　from　the　direction　of

the　prison。



〃That　means　some　of　the　prisoners　have　escaped；〃　one　of　the

porters　on　the　platform　said。　　〃There　have　been　five　or　six　of　them

got　away　in　the　last　two　months；　but　most　of　them　have　been

caught　again　before　they　have　gone　far。　　You　see；　to　have　a　chance

at　all；　they　have　got　to　get　rid　of　their　uniforms；　and　as　we　are　all

Unionists　about　here　that　ain't　an　easy　job　for　'am　to　manage。〃



Every　one　on　the　platform　joined　in　the　conversation；　asking　which

way　the　fugitive　would　be　likely　to　go；　whether　there　ware　any

cavalry　to　send　after　him；　what　would　be　done　to　him　if　he　were

captured；　and　other　questions　of　the　same　kind；　Vincent　joining　in

the　talk。　　It　was　a　relief　to　him　when　the　train　drew　up；　and　he　and

Dan　took　their　place　in　it；　traveling；　however；　in　different　cars。　

Once　fairly　away；　Vincent　had　no　fear　whatever　of　being　detected；

and　could　travel　where　he　liked；　for　outside　the　prison　there　were

not　ten　people　who　knew　his　face　throughout　the　Northern　States。　

It　would　be　difficult　for　him　to　mako　his　way　down　into　Virginia

from　the　North　as　the　whole　line　of　frontier　there　was　occupied　by

troops；　and　patrols　were　on　the　watch　night　and　day　to　prevent

persons　from　going　through　the　lines。　　He　therefore　determined　to

go　west　to　St。　Louis；　and　from　there　work　his　way　down　through

Missouri。　　After　two　days'　railway　traveling　they　reached　St。　Louis；

a　city　having　a　large　trade　with　the　South；　and　containing　many

sympathizers　with　the　Confederate　cause。　　Vincent；　having　now　no

fear　of　detection；　went　at　once　to　an　hotel；　and　taking　up　the

newspaper；　one　of　the　first　paragraphs　that　mat　his　eye　was

headed：



〃Escape　of　three　Confederate　officers　from　Elmira。　Great

excitement　was　caused　on　Wednesday　at　Elmira　by　the　discovery

that　three　Confederate　officers　had；　during　the　night；　effected　their

escape　from　prison。　　One　of　the　bars　of　the　window　of　the　ward　on

the　first　floor　in　which　they　were；　with　fifteen　other　Confederate

officers；　confined；　had　been　removed；　the　screws　having　been

taken　out　by　a　large　screw…driver　which　they　left　behind　them。　

They　had　lowered　themselves　to　the　yard；　and　climbed　over　the

wall　by　means　of　a　rope　which　was　found　in　position　in　the

morning。　　The　rest　of　the　prisoners　professed　an　entire　ignorance

of　the　affair；　and　declare　that　until　they　found　the　beds　unoccupied

in　the　morning　they　knew　nothing　of　the　occurrence。



〃This　is　as　it　may　be；　but　it　is　certain　they　must　have　been　aided　by

traitors　outside　the　prison；　for　the　rope　hung　loose　on　the　outside

of　the　wall；　and　must　have　been　held　by　some　one　there　as　they

climbed　it。　　The　inside　end　was　fastened　to　a　stone　seat；　and　they

were　thus　enabled　to　slide　down　it　on　the　other　side。　　Their

uniforms　were　found　lying　at　the　foot　of　the　wall；　and　their

accomplice　had　doubtless　disguises　ready　for　them。　　The

authorities　of　the　prison　are　unable　to　account　for　the　manner　in

which　the　turn…screw　and　rope　were　passed　in　to　them；　or　how　they

communicated　with　their　friends　outside。〃



Then　followed　the　personal　description　of　each　of　the　fugitives；

and　a　request　that　all　loyal　citizens　would　be　on　the　look…out　for

them；　and　would　at　once　arrest　any　suspicious　character　unable　to

give　a　satisfactory　account　of　himself。　　As　Vincent　sat　smoking　in

the　hall　of　the　hotel　he　heard　several　present　discussing　the　escape

of　the　prisoners。



〃It　does　not　matter　about　them　one　way　or　the　other；〃　one　of　the

speakers　said。　　〃They　seem　to　be　mere　lads；　and　whether　they

escape　or　not　will　not　make　any　difference　to　any　one。　　The　serious

thing　is　that　there　must　be　some　traitors　among　the　prison　officials；

and　that　next　time。perhaps　two　or　three　generals　may　escape；　and

that　would　be　a　really　serious　misfortune。〃



〃We　need　not　reckon　that　out　at　present；〃　another　smoker　said。　

〃We　haven't　got　three　of　the　rebel　generals　yet；　and　as　far　as　things

seem　to　be　going　on；　we　may　have　to　wait　some　time　before　we

have。　　They　are　pretty　well　able　to　take　care　of　themselves；　I

reckon。〃



〃They　are　good　men；　some　of　them；　I　don't　deny；〃　the　first　speaker

said；　〃but　they　might　as　well　give　up　the　game。　　In　the　spring　we

shall　have　an　army　big　enough　to　eat　them　up。〃



〃So　I　have　heard　two　or　three　times　before。　　Scott　was　going　to　eat

them　up；　McClellan　was　going　to　eat　them　up；　then　Pope　was

going　to　make　an　end　of　'em　altogether。　Now　McClellan　is　having

a　try　again；　but　somehow　or　other　the　eating　up　hasn't　come　off　yet。　

It　looks　to　me　rather　the　other　way。〃



There　was　an　angry　growl　from　two　or　three　of　those　sitting　round；

while　others　uttered　a　cordial　〃That's　so。〃



〃It　seems　to　me；　by　the　way　you　put　it；　that　you　don't　wish　to　see

this　business　come　to　an　end。〃



〃That's　where　you　are　wrong　now。　　I　do　wish　to　see　it　come　to　an

end。　　I　don't　want　to　see　tens　of　thousands　of　men　losing　their　lives

because　one　portion　of　these　States　wants　to　ride　roughshod　over

the　other。　　The　sooner　the　North　looks　this　affair　squarely　in　the

face　and　sees　that　it　has　taken　up　a　bigger　job　than　it　can　carry

through；　and　agrees　to　let　those　who　wish　to　leave　it　go　if　they　like；

the　better　for　all　parties。　　That's　what　I　think　about　it。〃



〃I　don't　call　that　Union　talk；〃　the　other　said　angrily。



〃Union　or　not　Union；　I　mean　to　talk　it；　and　I　want　to　know　who　is

going　to　prevent　me？〃



The　two　men　rose　simultaneously　from　their　chairs；　and　in　a

second　the　crack　of　two　revolvers　sounded。　　As　if　they　had　only

been　waiting　for　the　signal；　a　score　of　other　men　leaped　up　and

sprang　at　each　other。　　They　had；　as　the　altercation　grew　hotter；

joined　in　with　exclamations　of　anger　or　approval；　and　Vincent　saw

that　although　the　Unionists　were　the　majority　the　party　of

sympathizers　with　the　South　was　a　strong　one。　　Having　neither

arms　nor　inclination　to　join　in　a　broil　of　this　kind　he　made　his

escape　into　the　street　the　instant　hostilities　began；　and　hurried

away　from　the　sound　of　shouts；　oaths；　the　sharp　cracks　of　pistols；

and　the　breaking　of　glass。　　Ten　minutes　later　he　returned。　　The

hotel　was　shut　up；　but　an　angry　mob　were　assembled　round　the

door　shouting；　〃Down　with　the　rebels！　down　with　the

Secessionists！〃　and　were　keeping　up　a　loud　knocking　at　the　door。　

Presently　a　window　upstairs　opened；　and　the　proprietor　put　out　his

head。



〃Gentlemen；〃　ha　said；　〃I　can　assure　you　that　the　persons　who　were

the　cause　of　this　disturbance　all　left　the　hotel　by　the　back　way　as

soon　as　the　affair　was　over。　　I　have　sent　for　the　police

commissioner；　and　upon　his　arrival　he　will　be　free　to　search　the

house；　and　to　arrest　any　one　concerned　in　this　affair。〃



The　crowd　were　not　satisfied；　and　renewed　their　knocking　at　the

door；　but　two　or　three　minutes　later　an　officer；　with　a　strong　body

of　police；　arrived　on　the　spot。　　In　a　few　words　he　told　the　crowd　to

disperse；　promising　that　the　parties　concerned　in　the　affair　would

be　taken　un　and　duly　deal　with。　　He　than　entered　the　house　with

four　of　his　men；　leaving　the　rest　to　wait。　　Vincent　entered　with　the

constables；　saying　th