ject of this
terrible attack, set up a howl which was heard above the thunder
crashes. The door, stout as it was, could not long withstand that
assault. It gave way with a crash, and fell into the hall way.

The terrified jailer tumbled out of his bed, only to find himself seized
and held by a pair of painted sons of the forest. Others who attempted
to interfere were seized and held in grasps of iron.

[Illustration: The jail trembled to its very centre.]

No sooner was the door of the jail burst off its hinges, than George
Waters and Charles Stevens, each with a chisel and hammer, rushed in to
cut the chains of the prisoners.

"Mother! mother! where are you?" cried Charles.

He had to call several times before the frightened woman could answer.
Then from out the darkness there came a feeble response. He groped his
way along in the darkness. He found a cell door, tore it open and
reached her side.

At this moment some one lighted a torch within the jail. A scene, wild,
weird and terrible burst upon their view. The prisoners were almost
driven to madness by the sudden appearance of the savage and civilized
liberators.

Charles Stevens, with chisel and hammer, quickly cut the chains of his
mother and hastened to liberate Cora. Her father held the light, while
he cut the iron band.

"Free! free!" cried the excited Charles. "Let us away before the town is
roused!"

"No," answered Mr. George Waters; "not while a prisoner remains to
suffer the wrath of prejudice."

Then with chisel and hammer he went from one to another and cut the iron
bands which bound them.

Oracus and Henry Waters joined him in the work of liberation, until all
were freed.

This required several moments of time, and the confusion and uproar
which they were compelled to make was rousing the town.

Mr. Parris, half-dressed, ran barefoot through the town, waving his long
arms in the air, and shouting that the fiends of the air had conspired
to liberate the prisoners. His words and his wild, fanatical manner
tended rather to increase the fear of the people of Salem, than diminish
it. Then there went out the report through the village that the Indians
had attacked the town, and the people, roused from their midnight
slumbers, magnified the numbers of the assailants ten to one.

"Cora! Mother!" whispered Charles, "this way!"

He took a hand of each and started to run from the jail down the street.

Others followed.

"Fly! all of you! Fly