Luckily, the
guard had been relieved about an hour before--the new sentinel had not
seen the officer of the day--and when Colonel Mohun put his head
through the little window beside the gate, ordering 'Open!' the gate
flew open, the sentinel presented arms as he passed, and I followed
modestly--the door banging-to behind us."[1]
[Footnote 1: Fact.]
XIX.
THE NOTE.
"Thus the colonel was out of the pen," continued Nighthawk, smiling.
"The rest was not very dangerous, unless the alarm were given. They
might miss the locked-up officer--he might have been seen to go into
the sutler's shop--and I admonished Colonel Mohun, in a low tone, to
proceed as rapidly as possible in a direction which I pointed out.
"The path indicated led to a spot on the island where I had concealed a
small boat among some willows--and, once across on the mainland, I
hoped that the danger would be over.
"In spite of my admonitions, Colonel Mohun took his time. He is a cool
one! He even turned and walked toward the fort, which he carefully
examined--counting the guns, observing the ditches, and the ground
around it.
"'That place could be taken, Nighthawk!' he said, with a laugh. And he
continued to stroll around the place, receiving at every moment
respectful salutes from passing soldiers, which he returned with the
utmost coolness, and an air of authority which I never have seen
surpassed.
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