THEY EMERGED ON to the steps of Four, Sam and Joe helping a recovering Habs, Tommy running ahead to hold the doors open, and gasped.
‘All hands,’ muttered Joe.
It seemed as though all seven prison blocks had emptied, and each one of the seven thousand prisoners was yelling, pushing, scuffling. Every inch of the courtyard was taken, the sea of sailors now lapping at the edges of the prison’s steps. The focus of their attention was, as ever, the market square gates, and there, holding up both hands and swinging his club, was King Dick.
‘He must have heard the alarm bell before anyone,’ said Sam. ‘Must’ve known what it meant.’
‘What does it mean?’ said Joe.
‘Escape,’ said Sam. ‘It means someone’s tryin’ to escape.’
‘And gettin’ shot,’ said Habs, his words still hoarse with the poison. ‘It usually ends with ’em gettin’ shot. Or hanged.’
Tommy was torn. ‘I’ll stay to help Habs, but—’
Joe waved him away. ‘Go, Tommy. Get back to your crew mates. Stay safe.’ The crier nodded his thanks, squeezed his way into the crowd and disappeared.
‘Listen,’ said Habs, still holding tightly to his cousin. ‘This is bad for me. Once this riot is done, Magrath will make his report and the redcoats will come. I took Lane’s gun and, when he attacked me, I shot him. They’re the facts. Plus, he’s white.’
‘What are you sayin’?’ asked Sam.
‘I’m sayin’, if there’s a breakout, I wanna be a part of it, whatever happens.’
‘Cuz, you’ll get shot.’
‘Yeah, maybe. But maybe not, maybe I get lucky and I ’scape the redcoats and their press gangs and make it to Boston. Or Philly. Or anywhere that ain’t England.’
‘Habs—’ began Joe, but Habs put a hand out.
‘I know,’ said Habs, ‘I know. But I’m right an’ you’re wrong. And that’s all there is, Mr Hill. And you’re still in your dress.’
‘I got ’em,’ said Sam, and threw Joe his trousers.
‘I’d forgotten,’ said Joe, pulling them on and dropping the dress. ‘I’d actually forgotten.’
‘Let’s go.’
‘Go where?’ asked Sam. The throng of inmates in front of them hadn’t moved; from the market square gates, down through the courtyard and across to the palisades, this crowd was stuck fast.
‘To find a hole in the wall,’ said Habs. ‘This way.’