In its then defenceless condition he could easily have mustered his
force and carried off his prize without immediate personal risk.
But, as we said before, he eschewed violence, as being likely to
provoke after effects of a too fatal character.
He resolved rather at once to risk his own personal safety in the
quieter plan of abduction which he had formed.
He determined that as soon as it should be dark he would watch his
opportunity to enter the house, steal to Cap's chamber, secrete
himself in a closet, and when all should be quiet, "in the dead
waste and middle of the night," he would come out, master her, stop
her mouth and carry her off.
When it became quite dark he approached the house, and hid himself
under the steps beneath the back door leading from the hall into the
garden, to watch his opportunity of entering. He soon found that his
enterprise required great patience as well as courage. He had to
wait more than two hours before he heard the door unlocked and
opened.
He then peered out from his hiding-place and saw old Hurricane
taking his way out towards the garden.
Now was his time to slip unperceived into the house. He stealthily
came out from his hiding-place, crept up the portico stairs to the
back door, noiselessly turned the latch, entered and closed it
behind him. He had just time to open a side door on his right hand
and conceal himself in a wood closet under the stairs, when he heard
the footsteps of Old Hurricane returning.
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