The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 208: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

202 naan PrN MUO Se ee THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. ee ee “Why did I not think of it before? Happy thought! There are the chimneys !” With the energy and despair of a half-drowned man he rose to his feet. In a trice he pulled off his coat and waistcoat, “Next he tugged at his boots. He stood ready for action of any kind. But the cold and damp of the chamber almost chilled his blood, “Tt must be done,” he thought. He tucked up his trousers and sleéves. By the faint rays of Gale’s lamp he groped his way to a chimney, The fire-place was hidden from view by a canvas covering, | With one cut of his knife he slit a hole into it, and crept through. Once in the chimney, he began to climb with all the strength he could command. “This is almost worse than death itself,” said Warner, as, half-choked with soot, he still climbed onward and upward. He had got some distance up his perilous ascent, when he heaved a great sigh. “T must fall; I cannot climb any higher. My strength has all gone; Iam as weak as a child, yea, as feeble as a kitten.” ’ The feelings of Warner were past the powers of description, If he fell he must be dashed to pieces. If he attempted to go bigher his strength and nerves Would sink under the effort. But what is there that a desperate man, in fear of death, will not attempt? When All hope seemed lost, and just as he was about to faise his hand to heaven in wild despair, it ioe an iron bar which supported the “GH, heaven |” he gasped, spitting, out a mouth- ful 6£ soot, “oh, heaven, lam saved !® ~~ ¥ ith both hands lie clutched the iton bar, and, witteall his expiring energy, pulléé himself tp. € could not get beyond if, However, without letitly squeezitig himself and téaring portions of flesh from his body. Paes : This trial was worse than allothérs, =. He did not beed bis pain and intense sufferings while there was the least hope of escape, as By much squeezing and strugeling, he managed | — hie tani joy, he Ste to get above the bar, and, to- b saw the light of heaven’s blue sky shining upon him, eee ‘‘ Saved | saved !” he casped, eee To his amazement, he discovered in the chimney afforded him some place whereon to sit. He crouched into the corner, and sat there trembling and gasping for breath. But now sounds were heard below, which struck terror to his heart. The blacksmith, Giles, and Gale were banging at the door below with heavy hammers, | Warner could distinctly hear them, at work. He dared not move out of his hiding-place. Indeed, he was too weak to attempt it. |. In about fifteen minutes of incessant hammering, and with the assistance of ,heavy crowbars, the gigantic door gave way and fell into the stone chamber with a fearful crash, . lm, The noise sounded like a death-knell in the ears of the hiding culprit. rloK” 4» z He could hear the three hunters below con- versing, “ Here’s his coat.” *‘ And here are his boots,” ‘‘He must have been in a terrible hurry,” said Gale, ‘‘ for he has left his watch behind him in his waistcoat pocket,” ; ‘ ‘He has escaped up the chimney,” said the village blacksmith. ‘ Don’t you see all this soot !” “He couldn’t escape that way,” said Giles, “ for there is an iron bar in each chimney, and no one but a mere child could squeeze themselves up.”’ “I tell you he has,” said the blacksmith, ‘and it is not long since he has gone up.” “Well, no matter,’ said Gale; “if he 7s up we'll soon bring the rascal down again, and much quicker than he imagines.” ‘ Hullo there!’ shouted Gale up the chimney, ‘‘hullo there! Come, come down, my man; it’s useless for you stick up there. Come down, I say, or I’ll bring you down flying.” as There was no response to this challenge. But Warner crept still closer in his’ hiding-place, and awaited the course of events. ; ‘ Conté down) my man,” said Gale. ‘“It’sno use your trying t0 decsive me, you know; if you don’t I shall fire!” — Still no response. : “Tl give you two minutes to think of it, Warner,” said Gale, ‘I dong Want to kill you like a.rat in a hole.’ OH till Warner made no answerf, rue to his word, at the expiration of two minutes Gale fired his revolver up the qemney. The ball struck the brickwork, and brought down an immense quantity of soot. = ‘That was a glance shot,” said Gale. “I'll do better this time,” Fives ge _ So anxious were Giles and the blacksmith to see the culprit “brought down” that both of them tore away the fire-screen and thrust their heads - upwards i-the chimney. Gale fired again. : Again the shot struck the old brickwork, and before they had the slightest notion of what was coming, an immense mass of brick and mortar and soot.came showering down upon the heads of both Giles and the blacksmith. ., Both swore heartily at the mishap, and looked more like sweeps than anything else. =} — Again and again Gale fired. v2 ~ But it was ill to no purpose. © “He must have come dowf agait,” said Giles, for he couldn’t ass the iron bagi” —— == ‘No ; he has ane ped,” said Gate? “He’s got off, at tie Band | Bot Warn ut imagined. One of the bullets had struck the iron bar, and, glancing, struck the wretched fugitive in, the ankle, "eee The pain was so great that Warner could have cried out aloud in agony. = fant he did not | | 2 eres, fter waiting for his opportunity, and after he had somewhat recovered his strength, he boldly commenced to climb again, . eid In less than half-an-hour he had reached the roof, | He crossed the tiles, and got into,an attic, But, while doing so, he heard footsteps approach- ing on the stairs, . Pree te: He knew not what to do. A large old cupboard was in.the attic, Into this he got, and closed the door, In a moment afterwards Gale and arner had not got off as had _ been i terwards he others entered the room... ., ¥ has ‘ast. i They got through the window on to the tiles, and GEomicboo (S <SEiGO) im