“Then I shall be under the painful necessity of retaining you as my guest.”

Foley smiled disagreeably.

Jack walked the room in perturbation.  He felt that imprisonment would be better than liberty, on such terms.  At the same time he did not refuse unequivocally, as possibly stricter watch than ever night be kept over him.

He thought it best to temporize.

“Well, what do you say?” asked the old man.

“I should like to take time to reflect upon your proposal,” said Jack.  “It is of so important a character that I do not like to decide at once.”

“How long do you require?”

“Two days,” returned Jack.  “If I should come to a decision sooner, I will let you know.”

“Agreed.  Meanwhile can I do anything to promote your comfort?  I want you to enjoy yourself as well as you can under the circumstances.”

“If you have any interesting books, I wish you would send them up.  It is rather dull staying here with nothing to do.”

“You shall have something to do as soon as you please, my young friend.  As to books, we are not very bountifully supplied with that article.  We ain’t any of us college graduates, but I will see what I can do for you in that way.  I’ll be back directly.”

Foley disappeared, but soon after returned, laden with one or two old magazines, and a worn copy of the “Adventures of Baron Trenck.”

It may be that the reader has never encountered a copy of this singular book.  Baron Trenck was several times imprisoned for political offences, and this book contains an account of the manner in which he succeeded, in some cases after years of labor, in breaking from his dungeon.  His feats in this way are truly wonderful, and, if not true, at least they have so very much similitude that they find no difficulty in winning the reader’s credence.

Such was the book which Foley placed in Jack’s hands.  He must have been in ignorance of the character of the book, since it was evident to what thoughts it would lead the mind of the prisoner.

Jack read the book with intense interest.  It was just such a one as he would have read with avidity under any circumstances.  It gratified his taste for adventure, and he entered heart and soul into the Baron’s plans, and felt a corresponding gratification when he succeeded.  When he completed the perusal of the fascinating volume, he thought, “Why cannot I imitate Baron Trenck?  He was far worse off than I am.  If he could succeed in overcoming so many obstacles, it is a pity if I cannot find some means of escape.”

He looked about the room in the hope that some plan might be suggested.

CHAPTER XXI.

The prisoner escapes.