This gave substance to a plan that he had been revolving in his mind.

That evening, when the warder brought him his food, he said carelessly: "I see you have some more troops coming in." "Yes," the man replied, "there are three hundred more men coming.
They will march in tomorrow afternoon.

They will be getting the room on the first floor, below here, cleared out tomorrow morning for the officer who commands them." Fergus had, all along, considered that there would be no difficulty in suddenly attacking and overpowering the warder, when he came in or out of his room, for no special precautions were taken.

The fact that the prisoners were all in their uniforms, and that on showing themselves below they would be instantly arrested, seemed to forbid all chance of their making any attempt to escape.

It was the matter of clothes that had, more than anything else, puzzled Fergus; for although he thought that he might possibly obtain a uniform from some officer's quarters, it was evident that the guard would at once perceive that he was not one of the officers of the garrison.
The arrival of the fresh detachment relieved him of this difficulty, and it now seemed that a way of escape was open to him.
Much depended upon the hour at which the regiment would arrive.