Part 58 (1/2)

”Hurrah! thanks to that shot, we may make our escape out of this, for the Frenchuns to see us!” cried Jack

”Let us get down to the shore, and e are once there we e to find our way aboard the shi+p The chances are we shall find so boat or other on the beach May we try, sir, e can do?”

”What do you say, Oliver? Shall we o weto knock off his chains, and we ht set the other poor fellows at liberty”

To climb out would be no difficulton Tom's and Jack's shoulders he could reach the lower part of the roof But Rayner positively refused to go without first setting Le Duc at liberty He told Brown to try and dislodge a piece of stone froht break the prisoners' chains

Suddenly Tom recollected that he had stoay one of the files which Le Duc hiht in his pocket

”Hand it here,” cried Rayner; and heat once began filing away

In the et hold of one of the upper stones of the wall It was hard, and had a sharp side

”Here it is, sir,” he said, cla it to Rayner

A fes on the bench served to sever the link already partly filed through

”Oh! set us free, monsieur?” cried the other prisoners

”What does he say?” asked Brown

”There won't be time to set you both free, but I'll see what I can do for one of you;” and he began filing away, and with the help of the stone he ed to liberate the arm of one of the men

”Here, take the file and see what you can do for your comrade,” he said

The rest of the party had in the un to mount the wall

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

NEW ADVENTURES AND SUCCESSES

As Oliver, ent first, had just got to the top, his attention was attracted by loud shouts co from the rear of the fort Above them quickly rose a hearty British cheer Showers of bullets cah the air The shouts and cries increased Amid the clash of steel, and the sharp crack of pistols, the voices of the officers reached hiuns and defend the fort

But it was too late Already a strong party of blue-jackets and ate in the rear, insufficiently protected, had evidently been taken by a rush The French up without order, many of them without muskets, they were driven back

Even had they been better disciplined, nothing could have withstood the fierce onslaught of the British Nu killed or ht, crept through the embrasures or leapt over the parapet

Directly Oliver announced as going on, the rest of the party were et out Jack was the last drawn up, and they all, with Le Duc, dropped on the ground

”Hullo! here's a firelock, and a bayonet at the end of it,” said Brown, picking up ahis escape ”Hurrah, boys! we'll charge the mounseers, and make theerness, would have set off without waiting for his companions Three muskets were found piled close outside of the prison, and a little way off lay the body of an officer who had been shot whilehis way to the rear

Rayner took possession of his sword The victorious assailants were noeeping onwards towards the farther end of the fort, in which direction arrison had fled