tairs. Only now and then a fainthearted Unionist consented to regain
his liberty by taking the oath of allegiance, and "volunteering." At
length the room above was cleared, and no more prisoners arrived. Penn,
who had kept anxious watch for his friend Stackridge, was congratulating
himself upon the perfect success of his stratagem, when the corporal who
had brought him in came rushing down the stairs, accompanied by
Lieutenant Ropes.

"Stackridge!" he called, searching among the prisoners; "is Medad
Stackridge here?"

No man had seen him.

"Then I tell you," said the corporal to Silas, "he is hid somewhere up
stairs, or else he has escaped; for I can swear I arrested him."

"I can swear you was drunk," said Silas, much disgusted. "You have let
the wust man of the lot slip through your fingers; for it's certain he
ain't here."

Penn trembled for a minute. But both Ropes and the corporal passed him
without a suspicion of what was agitating him; and he felt immensely
relieved when they returned up the stairs, and the mystery remained
unexplained.

The prisoners in the cellar were about twelve in number. Nearly all were
sturdy, earnest men. Penn noticed that they were not cast down by their
misfortunes, but that they whispered among themselves, exchanging
glances of intelligence and defiance. At length Captain Grudd came to
him, and taking him aside, said,--

"Well, professor, what do you think of the situation?"

"We seem to be at the mercy of the villains," replied Penn.

"Not so much at their mercy either, if we choose to be men! What we want
to know is, will you join us? And if there should be a little fighting
to do, will you help do it?"

Penn grasped his hand. "Show me that we have any chance of escape, and I
am with you!"

"I thought you would come to it at last!" Grudd smiled grimly. "What we
want, to begin with, is a few handy weapons. But we have all been
disarmed. Have you anything? I noticed they did not search you, probably
because you came voluntarily and gave yourself up."

"I have Stackridge's pistol. It is in the coat Mr. Villars is sitting
on."

Grudd's eyes lighted up at this unexpected good news. "It will come in
play! We must shoot or strangle these fellows, and have their
guns,"--with a glance at the soldiers on guard.

"But the room up stairs is full of soldiers, and there is a strong guard
posted outside, probably surrounding the building."

"We will have as little to do with the