Meanwhile the old man, to make sure that all was right, went
up-stairs, far enough to see that the door of the apartment in which
Jack had been confined was closed. Had he gone up to the landing he
would have seen the aperture in the door, and discovered the hole,
but he was sleepy, and anxious to get back to bed, which rendered
him less watchful.
"All seems right," he muttered to himself, and re-entered the
bed-chamber, from which Jack could soon hear the deep, regular
breathing which indicated sound slumber. Not till then did he creep
cautiously from his place of concealment, and advancing stealthily
to the front door, turn the key, and step out into the
faintly-lighted street. A delightful sensation thrilled our hero, as
he felt the pure air fanning his cheek.
"Nobody can tell," thought he, "what a blessed thing freedom is till
he has been cooped up, as I have been, for the last week. Won't the
old man be a little surprised to find, in the morning, that the bird
has flown? I've a great mind to serve him a little trick."
So saying, Jack drew the key from its place inside, and locking the
door after him, went off with the key in his. pocket. First,
however, he took care to scratch a little mark on the outside of the
door, as he could not see the number, to serve as a means of
identification.
This done Jack made his way as well as he could guess to the house
of his uncle, the baker.
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