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 boy," he said, "I owe you my freedom, and I shan't forget it.
Now, where are the clothes?"

"Here dey are, sah. One is a rough suit, like a working man'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 little 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
someone 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 dem in a bundle. Dis bag has got linen, and boots,
and oder tings for you, sah. What I tink am de best way dis. Dar am a
train pass trou 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 de best way for you would
be to go outside the station. Just when the train come in we walk across
de road wid the oders and go to hotel. You say you want bedroom for
yo'self, and that your sarvant can sleep in de hall. Den in de morning
you get up and breakfast and go off by de fust train."

"But then they may send down to look at the passengers starting, and I
should be taken at once."