The man, however, was still there, not yet dormant, but merely torpid from a surfeit of despair; and the man in him promptly shook off that torpidity and awoke at the first words Blood spoke to him that night--awoke and wept.
"Escape ?" he panted.

"O God!" He took his head in his hands, and fell to sobbing like a child.
"Sh! Steady now! Steady!" Blood admonished him in a whisper, alarmed by the lad's blubbering.

He crossed to Pitt's side, and set a restraining hand upon his shoulder.

"For God's sake, command yourself.

If we're overheard we shall both be flogged for this." Among the privileges enjoyed by Blood was that of a hut to himself, and they were alone in this.