Charlie joined Tim at the window.

"Yes, Tim, you are right. That's Hossein, I'm pretty sure."

The man had now approached within two or three hundred yards of the
corner of the wall. He was apparently collecting pieces of dried
brushwood, for firing. Presently, he glanced in the direction of the
window. Charlie thrust his arm through the bar, and waved his hand.
The man threw up his arm with a gesture which, to a casual observer,
would have appeared accidental; but which the watchers had no doubt,
whatever, was intended for them. He was still too far off from them to
be able to distinguish his features, but they had not the least doubt
that it was Hossein.

Chapter 19: A Daring Escape.

"And what's to be done next, Mister Charles? That's Hossein, sure
enough, but it don't bring us much nearer to getting out."

"The first thing is to communicate with him in some way, Tim."

"If he'd come up to the side of the moat, yer honor might spake to
him."

"That would never do, Tim. There are sure to be sentries on the walls
of the prison. We must trust to him. He can see the sentries, and will
know best what he can do."

It was evident that Hossein did not intend doing anything, at present;
for, still stooping and gathering brushwood, he gradually withdrew
farther and farther from the wall. Then they saw him make his sticks
into a bundle, put them on his shoulder, and walk away. During the
rest of the day, they saw no more of Hossein.

"I will write," Charlie said, "--fortunately I have a pencil--telling
him that we can lower a light string down to the moat, if he can
manage to get underneath with a cord which we can hoist up, and that
he must have two disguises in readiness."

"I don't think Hossein can read," Tim said, "any more than I can,
myself."

"I daresay not, Tim, but he will probably have friends in the town.
There are men who were employed in the English factory at Kossimbazar,
hard by. These will be out of employment, and will regret the
expulsion of the English. We can trust Hossein. At any rate, I will
get it ready.

"Now the first thing we have to do is to loosen one of these bars. I
wish we had thought of doing it before. However, the stonework is
pretty rotten, and we shall have no difficulty about that. The first
thing is to get a tool of some sort."

They looked round the room, and for some time saw nothing which could
in any way serve. The walls, floor, and wide bench running round, u