Page:The Immortal Six Hundred.djvu/236

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THE IMMORTAL SIX HUNDRED


fully of it, and filled my coat and pants pockets. I forgot, in my hungry greediness, that I would be compelled to swim through the waters of the moat to reach the bank. When Gillispie, the last man to leave the fort before me, slid down the rope into the water he made as much noise as a whale, and I believe now he was then doing his best to attract the attention of the sentinel. I saw him finally go over the moat bank. I then followed down the rope, landed safely in the water, and had reached the moat bank when, just as I started to climb up the bank, the midnight relief came in sight. I was compelled to roll back into the water and remain until the guard passed on. After getting over the bank into the swamp I found the boys awaiting my coming. But I want to relate that the moat water dissolved all my sugar and left me in a sticky condition. I had tugged at the rope, but could not get it to budge, so left it hanging out of the casemate window. As the night was dark and


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