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Chapter 15: the escape.
Frank and I had escape on the brain.
We thought of nothing else, and were constantly watching our chances.
One day I passed the guard and went out to the hospital, but my feet were bare, and I was advised by a sick man who had been out not to try it. I had kept my old boots, although they were worn out, so
Captain McHugh cut off the tops, sewed them to the bottoms, making a kind of moccasins, and I was ready for the road.
Our old mess of three were to go together.
On the afternoon of November 23 Frank and I were walking around the camp.
Directly in front of our hut we saw three prisoners, with their guards, come to the guard line and throw over the wood they had brought in. The sentinels on the beats had been talking together, and, having finished, marched directly from each other, leaving a space between them uncovered.
The prisoners with their guards started to return to the woods.
“Now is our chance, John,” said Frank, and without waiting for
McHugh, with our hearts beating like trip hammers, we passed over the dead line, and were outside following the others before the sentries faced about.
We kept with the other prisoners until we reached the woods, then pretending that we saw our party over a little hill started to join them, and entering a place where the bushes were thick, dropped and waited.
There were several details
