I interpreted to mean that my signal had been
discovered. It seemed to me that the sun would never set that evening,
and I was in mortal fear that when it did the wind would also go down.
At last, the shadows of night descended upon the earth, and still the
breeze blew finely. I waited at the window, and watched with all my eyes
until near midnight, when, to my delight, I saw the shadow of a kite
coming between me and the stars. With one quick, strong pull I wrenched
the grating out, and stood with my head projecting from the hole, ready
to catch the kite. As soon as I got hold of it, I found that there were
two strings attached; and I was careful to cut only one, as the other
was probably intended to remove the kite, and pull it to the ground
again. After hauling in the twine and the stronger cords fastened to it,
I found the rope-ladder in my grasp; and in a very short time it was
fastened to the iron bars below the grating that I had removed. At the
same moment, I felt that some one at the other end was hauling the
ladder in tight, and no doubt securing it below. Five minutes later and
I was free! Not a human being was in sight as I stood once more on the
earth: my confederate, whoever he was,--now that every thing was
accomplished that he could do,--probably thinking it was safer for him
to be out of the way. But there stood my beloved pony, who had carried
me so often from the Air-Line Station to Canton; and, before many
seconds had passed, he was making the sparks fly under his feet as we
headed for the old familiar spot in the country. It was not necessary
for me to guide him; dark as it was, the pony knew the way well enough;
and I soon reached the cavity, through which I hoped to visit "my own,
my native land," where people are not arrested without knowing what is
the crime with which they are charged. Removing the jar of water and the
can of food from my pony's back, without stopping to think why I did it,
but following a sort of instinct which afterwards saved me from
perishing, I fastened these articles on my shoulders and around my
waist; then, sobbing, threw my arms around poor pony's neck, and with a
pang bade him good-by. He flew snorting away to his stable, where I have
no doubt he soon found comfort in a quart or two of rice and a peck of
oats.

And now, strange to say, although I had accomplished the journey through
the earth three times with entire safety, I shrank with dread from the
thought of jump