While a soldier held up a dim lantern the corporal unlocked the padlock, sliding the side door back.
At that moment an order was bawled lustily in German.
"Will you be good enough to repeat, Herr Lieutenant ?" called the corporal, glancing backward down the length of train.
Heavy footsteps were heard approaching.

Corporal and private turned to take a few steps back to meet their officer.

Dick, standing in the open doorway, saw that a fog had settled down over the night.
Acting on a sudden impulse, without an instant's hesitation, he leaped down, striking softly on the balls of his feet.

Without even turning sideways to see if German eyes had observed him, Prescott stole across another track, and down to the foot of an embankment.
"They'll shoot me for this!" he muttered.

"Let them! Death is better than being a German prisoner!".