as actually yielding to my efforts, and gradually sliding into its
berth in the wall.

I have often been engaged in struggles where great bodily strength was
required, and every thew and sinew in the system taxed to the uttermost;
but, strange as it may appear, I never was so completely exhausted and
overcome by any labour as by this comparatively trifling task.

Again and again was I obliged to desist, until my cramped finger-joints
recovered their power; but at length my perseverance was rewarded, for,
little by little, I succeeded in removing the bolt so far as to allow
the door to open sufficiently to permit me to pass.

With some squeezing I succeeded in forcing my way into a small passage,
upon which my prison-door opened.

This led into a chamber somewhat more spacious than my cell, but still
containing no furniture, and affording no means of escape to one so
crippled with bonds as I was.

At the far extremity of this room was a door which stood ajar, and,
stealthily passing through it, I found myself in a room containing
nothing but a few raw hides, which rendered the atmosphere nearly
intolerable.

Here I checked myself, for I heard voices in busy conversation in the
next room.

I stole softly to the door which separated the chamber in which I stood
from that from which the voices proceeded.

A moment served to convince me that any attempt upon it would be worse
than fruitless, for it was secured upon the outside by a strong lock,
besides two bars, all which I was enabled to ascertain by means of
the same defect in the joining of the planks which I have mentioned as
belonging to the inner door.

I had approached this door very softly, so that, my proximity being
wholly unsuspected by the speakers within, the conversation continued
without interruption.

Planting myself close to the door, I applied my eye to one of the chinks
which separated the boards, and thus obtained a full view of the chamber
and its occupants.

It was the very apartment into which I had been first conducted. The
outer door, which faced the one at which I stood, was closed, and at a
small table were seated the only tenants of the room--two officers, one
of whom was Captain Oliver. The latter was reading a paper, which I made
no doubt was the document with which I had been entrusted.

'The fellow deserves it, no doubt' said the junior officer. 'But,
methinks, considering our orders from head-quarters, you deal somewhat
too ha