There had been no time to argue, or Harry might have been able to
make him understand that it was at least as dangerous to go as to
stay -- perhaps even more dangerous. Dick did not think that
there was at least a chance that every trap was wired, so that
springing it would sound an alarm in some central spot. If that
were so, as Harry had fully understood, escape for Dick would be
most difficult and probably he too would be captured.

"I'm such a coward!" Dick almost sobbed to himself, for he was
frightened, though, it must be said, less on his account than at
the thought of Harry. Yet he did not stop. He went on
resolutely, alone, as he got used to the idea that he must depend
on himself, without Harry to help him in any emergency that arose,
his courage returned. He stopped, just as he knew Harry would
have done, several feet short of the wall. His watch told him
that he had time enough to make a dash, had several minutes to
spare, in fact. But he made sure.

And it was well that he did. For some alarm had been given. He
heard footsteps of running men, and in a moment two men, neither
of them the one they knew as the sentry, came running along the
wall. They carried pocket flashlights, and were examining the
ground carefully. Dick sensed at once what they meant to do, and
shrank into the shelter of a great rhododendron bush. He was
small for his age, and exceptionally lissome and he felt that the
leaves would conceal him for a few moments at least. He was
taking a risk of finding a trap in the bush, but it was the lesser
of the two evils just then. And luck favored him. He encountered
no trap.