Page:Ruth of the U.S.A. (IA ruthofusa00balm).pdf/331

 the schloss. The camp—which in six months had not succeeded in getting one of their own number free—swore now to save the prisoner of von Fallenbosch. Such was the spirit of the offizier-gefangenenlager of Villinstein.

So Gerry told O'Malley and Lownes about Ruth Alden; and together they laid their plans. Two days later the Irishman grasped Gerry's arm tightly.

"We wait, bye, only for a moon."

"You mean the bore's finished?"

"As near as may be till the night of use. You've the almanac; when will be the moon big enough to give you light to fly?"

"Fri—no, Thursday, Mike?"

"You'll be certain, bye; you'll not spoil all by impulsiveness."

"Thursday will be all right, if it's clear, Mike."

"Then pray, bye, for a dark evening."

"And a clear night!"

"Aye; a clear night—to find Mannheim!"

And Thursday evening came, overclouded, yet with a moon behind the clouds which shone bright and clear for minutes at a time, then, obscured, left all the land in blackness.

The digging parties of the last week had placed in the tunnel enough food from the officers' packages, which arrived regularly through Switzerland, to supply three days' rations for ten men; so that night the ten descended into the tunnel. They recognized it was possible that the guards knew about the tunnel and had permitted them to enter it that night only to catch them at the other end.