An exit under such circumstances is always difficult. To curb the urge
of haste, to remain casual under lynx-like eyes, these are not untrying
tasks. Any slip now and he might be in the same durance as Halloway
himself--and when he breathed the outer air it was with a deep-drawn
sigh of relief for delivery out of peril.
When he had established connection with O'Keefe and had given him the
main facts, withholding, however, his sources of information, he said:
"We must get Halloway free before we start."
"Like hell we must!" exploded Jerry. "So long es he lays thar they'll
figger they've done fooled us an' beat us. Ef we take him out, thar'll
be men in ther la'rel all the way we've got ter go, pickin' us off in
ther dark."
"You're right," assented Brent, "but he's been there all day, I guess."
"Wa'al then a leetle more hain't goin' ter hurt him none."
Fifteen minutes later, leaving separately but timed to come to a
rendezvous near the point of attack a good dozen men were on the trail
to the Gap.
Through wet and chilly thickets O'Keefe led Brent at a gait that made
his heart pound.
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