mind," he answered coolly. "More reason for haste. Another
half-hour's work will set you free. Bear a hand about it, then."

His calmness reassured us; and having carefully cleared away the pitch,
we went on filing at the bar as fast as we could. My heart certainly
did beat more rapidly than it had ever done before; for I expected every
moment to be interrupted by the entrance of the gaolers. Fortunately
the wind blew, and the tiles rattled more loudly than ever. At last, to
our great satisfaction, both the bars were almost filed through. The
sailor seized the one he had been working at, and with a powerful
wrench, tore it from the stone window-frame.

"There," he said, giving me the piece of bar. "Put it carefully down.
We will leave it as a legacy behind us."

Pedro and I grasped the other, and with all our strength tore it away.

"Hurra! all right now, mates," said the the sailor, scarcely refraining
from giving a cheer. "Bear a hand, and squeeze through. I'll help
you."

"You go first," said Pedro. "I'll follow you."

I could just manage to squeeze my head and shoulders between the bars;
and with the assistance of the sailor, who hauled away by my collar, I
found myself standing outside them on the window-ledge.

"There won't be room for all of us outside, so do you, mate, just get
hold of the rope and slide down to the ground," observed the sailor.

"Where is it?" I asked, for I could neither see nor feel it.

"Get hold of the bars with your hands, and lower yourself till you get
your feet round the rope. Don't let go with one hand till you've a firm
hold with the other. I'll guide you."

Following his instructions, I lowered my body over the window-sill till
I could grasp the rope with my hands, when without much difficulty I
slid down to the ground. For an instant my satisfaction at being once
more outside the prison walls made me forget the risk we ran of being
recaptured, and the difficulties we had still to undergo. I stood
anxiously watching for the appearance of my companions; for it was so
dark that I could not distinguish them even at the short distance
between the ground and the window. In moments such as those, each one
appears an age, and I trembled for our safety. At last I saw a figure
gliding down the rope. It was Pedro. Scarcely had he reached the
ground when the sailor was by my side.

"Now, mates," he whispered, "let's hold on to each other, and put our
best legs f