At that, I thought of Jennifer.  True, he was wounded, too; but he would know how best to pass the word to those in peril.  I made full sure he’d find a way if I could reach him; and when I had it simmered down to this, the problem simplified itself.  I must have speech with Dick before the night was out, though I should have to crawl on hands and knees the half-score miles to Jennifer House.

Having decided, I was keen to be about it while the night should last—­the friendly darkness, and some fine flush of excitement which again had come at need to take the place of healthful vigor.  But when I would have quit the window to begone upon my errand a sober second thought delayed me.  If my simple counterplot should fail, some knowledge of the powder-convoy’s route would be of prime importance.  Lacking the time to warn the over-mountain men, the next best thing would be to set some band of patriot troopers upon the trail and so to overtake the convoy.  Nay, on this second thought’s rehearsing the last expedient seemed the better of the two, since thus the plot would come to naught and we would be the gainers by the capture of the powder.

So now you know why I should stick and hang by toe and finger-tip and glare across the little space that gaped between my itching fingers and the bit of parchment passed from hand to hand around the table’s end.  If I could make a shift to rob them of this map—­

It was a desperate chance, but in the frenzy of the moment I resolved to take it.  Their placings round the table favored me.  Gilbert Stair and the lawyer sat fair across from me, but they were still intent upon their figurings.  Of the trio at the table’s end, the baronet and the captain had their backs to me.  The younger officer sat across, and he was staring broadly at my window, though with wine-fogged eyes that saw not far beyond the bottle-neck, I thought.

My one hope hinged upon the boldness of a dash.  If I could spring within and sweep the two candlesticks from the table, there was a chance that I might snatch the parchment in the darkness and confusion and escape as I had come.

So I began by inches to draw me up and feel for some better launching hold.  But in the midst, for all my care and caution, I slipped and lost my grip upon the casement; lost that and got another on the wooden shutter opened back against the outer wall, and then went down, pulling the shutter from its rusted hinges in crashing clamor fit to rouse the dead.

As if they were quick echoes, other crashings followed as of chairs flung back; and then the window just above me filled with crowding figures.  I marvel that I had the wit to lie quiet as I had fallen, but I had; and those above, looking from a lighted room into the belly of the night, saw nothing.  Then Captain Stuart shouted to his dragoon horse-holder.

“Ho!  Tom Garget; this way, man!” he cried; and when he had no answer, put a leg across the window seat to clamber out.  ’Twas in the very act, while I was watching catlike every movement, that I saw the precious scrap of parchment in his hand.