ng knives will make
good weapons. I have got a leather waistcoat, which I will cut up and
make from it a couple of sheaths. Of course I have got fur cloaks, one
of them a very handsome one. I will take that and another. There ought
to be no difficulty whatever in getting some one to give us two
peasants' dresses in exchange for that coat, for all these people know
something of the value of furs."

"Yes, and if you can get a gun and some ammunition thrown into the
bargain, Alexis, it will be most useful, for we may have to depend upon
what we shoot sometimes."

"Yes, that would be a great addition, Godfrey. Well, we will set about
making the sheaths at once. I have got a store of needles and stout
thread."

"They will be useful to take with us," Godfrey said, "not only for
mending our clothes, if we want it, but for exchange. Women have to sew
all over the world, and even the most savage people can appreciate the
advantage of a good needle."

"That is so, Godfrey. I have got a packet of capital surgical needles,
and some silk. I will put them in with the others; they won't take up
much room. Well, shall we start to-morrow night?"

"I think we had better wait for two or three days," Godfrey said. "We
must save up some of our food."

"Yes, we shall want some bread," Alexis agreed. "We can't well get that
in through the warders, it would look suspicious, but I will get in some
meat through them. We have got some of the last lot left, so we can do
with very little bread."

For the next two days they found plenty to occupy them, while their
stock of bread was accumulating. One of the Russian's coats was cut up
and made into two bags like haversacks, with a band to pass over the
shoulder, for carrying their belongings. Straps were make of the cloth
for fastening the great-coats knapsack fashion. They agreed that however
long they might have to wait they must choose a stormy night for their
flight, as otherwise they could hardly break through the roof and scale
the fence without being heard by the sentries who kept watch night and
day. They were eager to be off, for it was already the end of July, and
the winter would be severe in the country over which they had to travel.
On the fourth day a heavy rain set in, and in the evening it began to
blow hard.

"Now is our time," Godfrey said; "nothing could have been better."

They had already loosened two of the lining boards of the roof, and as
soon as they had been lock