re with that sack!"

"Hurry up, there, he's as heavy as lead!"

The sack was drawn up over Dick's head and tied tight with a stout rope,
the men then carrying him between them to the end of the passage and up
some steps. One or two tested the rope to see that it was all right and
then the men holding Dick gave the sack a swing or two and cast it well
out upon the water, where it struck with a splash and then sank. Dick
could hold his breath for nearly two minutes and he knew that he would
not need all that. While the men were swinging him he clutched the
handle of the knife, turned the blade down and began to cut through the
sack. When he began to sink he moved his hands toward his head and cut a
straight gash in the sack. Then he moved his hands the other way and
began to kick vigorously, so as to loosen the sack. Then, as he began to
think he could hold his breath no longer, he felt himself rising, the
sack fell away from him, and in a few moments he shot up to the surface
alongside some huge object which he recognized as the hull of a vessel.
Then he lay on his back and floated, and, holding the knife in his
teeth, cut the cords that bound his wrists and his hands were free.

Swimming noiselessly alongside the vessel, which was anchored in the
river, he reached the fore chains. He was now free to use both hands and
feet, and the next thing to do was to get to shore. He had his knife
which Tom had given him and this he resolved to keep till he was safely
out of all his dangers. Making his way around the anchored vessel, he
set out for shore, guided by the few lights along the water and in the
taverns. Suddenly he heard the sound of oars and then of voices.

"How did he get hold of a knife?" asked Hughson.

"I dunno, but he'll have to float and we ought to find him," replied
Jeb.

The sack had been drawn ashore, and the slash in it discovered and now
the men were trying to find Dick. The boat was coming directly toward
him, and in a few moments he could distinguish its outlines dimly and
see the forms of three men in it rowing directly toward him. Then he
sank well down and swam right under the boat, coming up a yard or so
beyond it as it went on toward the middle of the river.

CHAPTER VIII.--Tom's Defiance.

"Hallo! there's some one swimming in the river!" cried the spy.

"So it is," growled Jeb. "Hello there!"

"Put about," muttered Fletch. "It's the rebel. He can float. We must get
after him."

Dick