At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Once out of the direct path of the animal, fear of it left me, but another emotion as quickly gripped me -- hope of escape that the demoralized condition of the guards made possible for the instant.

I thought of Perry, and but for the hope that I might better encompass his release if myself free I should have put the thought of freedom from me at once. As it was I hastened on toward the right searching for an exit toward which no Sagoths were fleeing, and at last I found it -- a low, narrow aperture leading into a dark corridor.