Then I remembered something. There was behind the house a creek which was dry in midsummer, but often, as now, in springtime, swollen with rains, and of sufficient depth and force to float a boat. And when it was possible it had been the custom to send stores of tobacco for lading on shipboard to England, by this short cut of the creek which discharged itself into the river below, and there was for that purpose a great boat in the cellar, and also a door and a little landing. I, remembering this, whispered to Mary Cavendish with all the strength which I could muster. "For God's sake," I cried, "go you to the cellar, the boat, the boat, the creek." But Mary looked at me, and I can see her face now. "Think you I did not know of that way?" she said, "and think you I would leave you here to die? No, let them come in and do their worst." Then I turned to Catherine and pleaded with her as well as I could with those thundering blows upon the door, and I well-nigh fainting and my blood flowing fast, and she did not answer at all but looked at me. Then I turned to Sir Humphrey Hyde. "For God's sake, lad," I cried, "if you love her, save her. Only a moment and they will be in here. Hear the door tremble, and then 'twill be arrest and imprisonment, and--I tell thee, lad, leave me, and save them." "They can do as they choose," cried Mary. Then she turned to Sir Humphrey. "Take Catherine, and she will show you the way out by the creek," she said. "As for me, I remain here." Catherine bent over me and tightened a bandage, but she did not speak. Sir Humphrey looked at me palely and doubtfully. "Harry," he said, "I can carry thee to the boat and we can all escape in that way." "Yes," I replied, "but if I escape through them, 'twill serve to convict them, and--and--besides, lad, I cannot be moved for the bleeding of my wounds, such a long way; and besides, it is at the best arrest for me, since I have been seen by the whole posse and have shot down Captain Waller. Whither could I fly, pray? Not back to England. Me they will take in custody in any case, and they will not shoot a wounded captive. My life is safe for the time being. Humphrey--" With that I beckoned him to lean over me, which he did, putting his ear close. "Seize Mary by force and bear her away, lad," I whispered, "down cellar to the boat. Catherine will show thee the way." "I cannot, Harry," he whispered back, and as I live the tears were in the boy's eyes. "I cannot leave thee, Harry." "You must; there is no other way, if you would save her," I whispered back. "And what good can you do by staying? The four of us will be taken, for you can do nothing for me single-handed. Captain Jaynes is killed--I saw him fall--and the parson has fled, and--and--I know not where be the others. For God's sake, lad, save her!"