Prison Break (2)

Seamus quickly changed into a French uniform. Ilse gave him a musket and explained that he had to look like a French soldier in order to escape. Before leaving she shouted to the prisoners “Give us 5 minutes and then escape”

Ilse and her two escorts walked calmly down the road from the prison, and took a couple of turnings before hearing a commotion behind them presumably caused by the prisoners escaping.

Shortly afterwards a French officer came running round a corner followed by a large number of French infantry obviously heading for the prison. Ilse took Seamus in a passionate embrace while Hans waved a bottle asking “Wha’ssssssss the problem Sirrrrrrr……!

The officer and men rushed on past and Hans just caught the comment “Useless drunkards” as they passed.

Disengaging Seamus, who seemed to have forgotten why they were kissing, Ilse led them down several back alleys before emerging on the town quay.

Careful avoiding the sentries they slipped onto one of the barges. Ilse then cut the mooring ropes then very slowly the barge moved out into the river Farret and then downstream. Once they were sure they were out of sight of the sentries, Ilse took the tiller while Hans took a barge pole and they gradually steered the barge downstream towards the Frundsberg bank.

The barge eventually grounded and the party had to wade through very muddy water to get to the bank.

“Right. Burndorf, should be over there, only a couple of hours walk, so we should be there before daybreak” said Ilse. Hans, the lucky one, still had his clothes in his knapsack so he could discard his sodden French uniform.

As day was dawning they approached the bridge into Burndorf. Hans said “It’s guarded, leave this to me” and he then walked up the road to the bridge.

“Who goes there? Give the password”

“Royston”

“How do you know that?”

“Because Captain Adamski can’t remember any others”

“OK, come over, are there any others?”

“Just two, a woman and a man in French uniform”