ghted it that
length of time to get under cover. In case of a miss-fire, he had
brought with him extra sticks, fuses and caps. These, with drills and
a sledge-hammer, they hid in a corner of the wall.

In the damp darkness of the tunnel it was difficult to believe that
outside the sun was still shining.

"If it were only night!" said Roddy. "I hate to leave it. I'd only
have to touch a match to that, and he'd be free."

"Free of the cell," assented McKildrick, "but we could never get him
away. The noise will bring the whole garrison. It will be like heaving
a brick into a hornets' nest. We must wait for darkness. This is no
matinee performance."

On the return trip to the city they sat in silence, the mind of each
occupied by his own thoughts. How serious these thoughts were neither
cared to confess in words, but as they passed under the guns of the
fortress they glanced at each other and smiled.

"You mustn't think, Mac," said Roddy gratefully, "I don't appreciate
what you're doing. You stand to lose a lot!"

"I can always get another job," returned McKildrick.

"You can't if one of these fellows puts a bullet in you," said Roddy.
"You know you are making a big sacrifice, and I thank you for it."

McKildrick looked at him in some embarrassment.

"You stand to lose more than any of us," he said. "I'm told you are to
be congratulated." His eyes were so full of sympathy and good feeling
that Roddy held out his hand.

"You're the first one to do it," he said happily; "and it's good to
hear. Mac!" he exclaimed, in awe-struck tones, "I'm the happiest,
luckiest, and the least deserving beggar in all the world!"

McKildrick smiled dryly.

"I seem to have heard something like that before," he said.

"Never!" cried Roddy stoutly. "Other poor devils may have thought so,
but I _know_. It never happened to any one but me!"

McKildrick turned his eyes seaward and frowned,

"I even used the same lines myself once," he said; "but I found I'd
got hold of some other fellow's part. So if anything _should_ come my
way to-night it wouldn't make such a lot of difference."

Roddy took one hand from the wheel and, leaning forward, touched
McKildrick on the knee.

"I'm sorry," he said; "I didn't know."

McKildrick nodded, and as though glad of an interruption, held up his
hand.

"Listen!" he cried. "Stop the engine!"

Roddy let the launch slip forward on her own headway. In the silence
that followed they heard from th