der of the convoy
said to Fergus:

"Have you any wish to choose as to which of the fortresses you
would be sent to? I can put your name down with either party. Some
will go to Iglau in Moravia, the rest to the forts round Linz."

"I think I would rather go to Linz, colonel, as you are good enough
to give me the choice."

Accordingly, the next morning Fergus, with twenty officers,
continued his way south. The majority proceeded to Iglau, to be
distributed among the various fortresses of Moravia.

Fergus was much pleased that he had not been sent with that party, for
had he by chance been taken to his former place of imprisonment, he
would certainly have been recognized, and the strictest precautions
taken against his repeating the attempt. On their arrival at Linz,
the prisoners were formally handed over to the charge of the governor,
and distributed among the various outlying forts round the city. Ten
others were told off to the same prison as Fergus.

The fort was the one nearest to the river, on the west side of the
city; and stood but a hundred yards from the bank, its guns being
intended to prevent any passage of the Danube, as well as to guard
the city against a land attack from that side. It was a strong
place but, as it was situated in a flat country, it presented no
natural obstacle to an escape. It was surrounded by a broad moat,
fed by a cut from the river. On the other side of the moat were two
small redoubts, facing west. The fort contained ample barracks for
the garrison of three hundred men who occupied it, with bomb proofs
in which they could take refuge, in the event of a siege. Beyond
the moat, a glacis sloped down to another ditch.

The cannon were placed in casemates. Some of them had been
withdrawn, the casemates fitted with massive shutters, and
converted into prisons for the use of officers. Two captains were
lodged in the same casemate with Fergus. No light came from
without, but there was a low semicircular window over the door.
This was very strongly barred, but admitted sufficient light, in
the daytime.

"Not such bad quarters," Fergus said, as he looked round. "When the
cold weather comes, we shall only have to stuff straw through those
bars, leaving one square open for light, and manage to hang a thick
curtain across it at night. I suppose they will give us a brazier
of charcoal, when it gets a little colder; though indeed, it is
cold enough now."

"At any rate, we shall have a re