Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape from the Brigands of Greece Part 94

"If you like to kill time that way, Harry," answered young Jack, laughing, "no harm; there's plenty of time to kill in this dreadful dungeon."

And puzzle over this precious treasure Harry did.

The cloth upon which were the cabalistic signs was headed with certain words, which were all but illegible, and this he managed to construe.

"Simple cypher, left in hopes that it may yet serve some unfortunate Englishman to escape from the tender mercies of this hole."

Below this were the following figures and signs--

3. 15. 21. 14. 20.--6. 15. 21. 18.--19. 20. 15. 14. 5. 19.

--21. 16.--6. 18. 15. 13.--7. 18. 15. 21. 14. 4.--20. 23.

15.--6. 15. 21. 18.--19. 9. 4. 5.--15. 6.--3. 8. 9.

Neath) 13. 14. 5. 25.-- > C.--23.

Press) it.

8. 1. 20.--9. 19-- revealed.

Now when Harry Girdwood had got through the above puzzle once or twice, he was in a regular fog. The only result was to get himself heartily laughed at by his fellow-prisoner.

So Harry Girdwood kept what he knew of the matter to himself.

Upon that same day towards sundown, when Sebastian came round to bring their food, Harry Girdwood said--

"We are not the first Englishmen who have been here, my friend."

Sebastian gave him a sharp glance, as he answered--

"How do you know that?"

"There is no mystery in it," replied Harry Girdwood; "I saw some words written in pencil upon the wall,"

"Where?"

The eagerness of his manner aroused the curiosity of both the boys.

"Somewhere here," replied Harry, pretending to seek for the marks upon the wall.

But of course he found nothing.

"It is strange," he said, still looking about; "for I made sure it was hereabouts somewhere. I saw some words which made me sure that it was occupied by an Englishman once."

"You are right," replied Sebastian; "quite right. An Englishman named Terence Dougherty--"

"That Englishman was Irish," said young Jack.

"Possibly; but he was a priest. He was confined here for a long while.

So long that he went mad."

"Mad, did you say?"

"Yes, and raving at last; his madness appeared to have so much method in it that it quite deceived our head doctor."

"How did he deceive the head doctor?"

"By his apparent sanity. He was mad as a March hare, and he used to rave about having discovered the way out of the prison."

The two boys p.r.i.c.ked up their ears at this speech.

"What was more natural?" said Sebastian. "A prisoner is always thinking how he can get away."

"Of course."

"And yet," said Sebastian, "the old priest was sure he had discovered the way to elude our vigilance when he chose to put his plan into execution; and his dying words startled us."

"How?"

"He said to the doctor within twenty minutes of drawing his last breath--'Doctor, you think I am mad. Not a bit of it, and I tell you that I have given my life to the study of prison breaking--getting out of this particular cell--and, doctor, I should have got out if the great commander death had not ordered me off by another route. As it is, I leave my work for the benefit of the first Briton who shall fall into your claws and drop into my cell, and then--mark me well--he'll profit by my work, unless he be a greater fool than you have taken me to be, and get away."

"He was very mad," said young Harkaway.

"Very."

Harry Girdwood said nothing.

They were alone.

Young Jack was full of deep and serious thought.

Harry Girdwood arose suddenly from his puzzle.

"Eureka!" he cried; "I have discovered it."

"What?" demanded the startled Jack.

"The cypher. It is alphabetical. Listen here."

Young Jack approached.

"It is clear as daylight," said Harry; "these figures correspond with the letters of the alphabet.

_"'Count four stones up from ground. Two from side of chimney. Press underneath. See what is revealed under it.'"_

"Hurrah!" cried young Jack.

"Hurrah!" yelled Harry Girdwood; "but stop. Let us see if there is any thing in it, for we may yet escape."