h would
be of service to him in finding his way to the Potomac. He charged him
particularly to follow the railroad, which would conduct him to
Alexandria, in the vicinity of which he would probably find the regiment.

At dark the prisoners disposed of themselves as well as they could for the
night. Tom saw the captain go through all the forms of preparing for a
comfortable lodging, and he did the same himself. For hours he lay
ruminating upon his purpose. When it was midnight, he thought it was time
for him to commence the enterprise. He worked himself along on the floor
till he reached the principal entrance. The door was open, as it had been
all day, to enable the guards to obtain an occasional view of the
prisoners.

The sentinels were evidently in no condition to discharge their duties
with fidelity, for they had been marching and fighting for two or three
days, and were nearly exhausted. Leaning against the door, Tom discovered
a musket, which the careless guard had left there. On the floor in the
entry lay two rebel soldiers. They had stretched themselves across the
threshold of the door, so that no one could pass in or out of the church
without stepping over them.

Tom carefully rose from his recumbent posture, and took possession of the
musket. Then, with the utmost prudence, he stepped over the bodies of the
sleeping soldiers; but with all his circumspection, he could not prevent
one of his shoes from squeaking a little, and it required only a particle
of noise to rouse the guard.

"Who goes there?" demanded one of them, springing to his feet.

"Is this the way you do your duty?" replied Tom, as sternly as though he
had been a brigadier general.

"Who are you?" said the soldier, apparently impressed by the words and the
tones of him who reproved his neglect.

"Who am I, you sleepy scum! I'll let you know who I am in about ten
minutes," added Tom, as he passed out at the front door of the church.

"Give me back my gun--won't you?" pleaded the confused sentinel.

"I'll give it back to you at the court-martial which will sit on your case
to-morrow."

"Who goes there?" challenged one of the sentinels on the outside.

"Who goes there!" added Tom, in a sneering tone. "Have you waked up? Where
were you five minutes ago, when I passed this post? There won't be a
prisoner left here by morning. The long roll wouldn't wake up such a
stupid set of fellows."

"Stop, sir!" said the astonished sentinel. "You can