thinking, trying to find some
way out of the difficulty.

"If we only had a rope," remarked the engineer; "we could make it."

"Yes," replied Jim, "and then use it to hang the greaser with. That is
what I call a beautiful thought."

"We haven't enough clothes to spare, to tear up, either," put in
Berwick.

"You are right, John," remarked Jim. "It is a little bit too damp and
foggy for that."

Jim began pacing up and down for a few minutes, then he reached some
decision.

"You stay here, John, for a few minutes," he said.

"I hate to stay alone here in the dark," remarked Berwick humorously.

Jim grinned, then he strode away along the cliff, and quickly
disappeared in the darkness. Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed, and then
he appeared unexpectedly in front of the engineer.

"Hello, what have you got there?" inquired Berwick; "looks to me like
you were going to start a garden."

"I found these vines growing over some rocks back there," Jim explained;
"as we haven't any rope they are next best."

"Good boy! I would never have thought of that," said Berwick.

"We have used it before," said Jim; "when we were on the frontier."

"But will it hold?" remarked the engineer. "I'm no heavy weight, but I
am not a fairy either."

"Wind 'em together and they will do," replied Jim.

In a short time, he had got one end of the improvised rope over one of
the iron spikes, then he criss-crossed them and got the other end over
the next spike, making a very respectable ladder.

"You first, John," ordered Jim.

"All right, me lad, and if those hounds in the yard nab me, you must do
something to distract their attention."

"I'll attend to them," replied Jim confidently.

"Here goes, then," said the engineer, and with the liveliness of a cat
he was up and over, and Jim followed.

"Now," exclaimed the engineer, "we are in for it. What is our next
move?"

"Take in this rope," replied Jim practically; "maybe we can use it in
our business."

His friend patted James on the back to show his appreciation. Then they
together got most of the vine down, and Jim made a neat coil of it. Then
before they went on they waited, listening for any sound that might
indicate life of any kind about the castle, but it was absolutely dark
and silent.

In all probability the dogs were somewhere about, or at least one of
them would surely be on guard. Jim knew that the first thing to do was
to locate these hounds, for if they were to