I should judge that the military officer is chief of the
rock, because when he found the Governor's room lit by electricity, he
demanded the same for his quarters. That's how I came to get upstairs.
Now, these stairs are hewn in the rock, are circular, guarded by heavy
oaken doors top and bottom, and these doors possess steel bolts on
both sides of them. It is thus possible for either the military
authorities upstairs, or the civil authorities, to isolate themselves
from the others. In case of a revolt among the soldiers, the Governor
could bolt them into their attic, and they would find great difficulty
in getting out. Now, my plan of procedure is this. We will disarm
gaoler and assistant, take their keys, outside garments and caps. The
gaoler's toggery will fit you, and the other fellow's may do for me.
Then we will lock them in here, and if we meet clerk or Governor in
the passages we will have time to overcome either or both before they
are aware of the change. I'll go up the circular stair, bolt from the
inside the upper door, and afterwards bolt the lower door. Then we
open all the cells, and release the other prisoners, descend from the
rock, get into the Finnish fishing boat, keep clear of the two cannon
that are up above us, and sail for the Swedish coast. We can't miss
it; we have only to travel west, and ultimately we are safe. There is
only one danger, which is that we may make our attempt when the
steamer is here, but we must chance that.
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