go on down, my lad," whispered Ike in a low deep voice. "Go on,
now."

"But are you coming?" I whispered back.

"You may depend on that," he said, as if to himself, "if they'll let me.
Go on."

I moved towards the open door, when one of the men made a dash to stop
me; but Ike threw put one leg, and he fell sprawling. At the same
moment my enemy made a rush at Ike, who stepped back, and then I saw his
great fist fly out straight. There was a dull, heavy sound, and the big
ruffian stopped short, reeled, and then dropped down upon his hands and
knees.

"Quick, boy, quick! You go first," whispered Ike, as I stopped as if
paralysed; "I'll foller."

His words roused me, and I ran out of the room.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

WHAT BECAME OF THE ROPE.

I nearly fell headlong down as I reached the stairs, for my foot went
through a hole in the boards, but I recovered myself and began to run
down as fast as I dared, on account of the rickety state of the steps,
while Ike came clumping down after me, and we could hear the big
ruffian's voice saying something loudly as we hurried from flight to
flight.

There were knots of women on the different landings and at the bottom of
the stairs, and they were all talking excitedly; but only to cease and
look curiously at us as we went by.

There was quite a crowd, too, of men, women, and children in the court
below as we left the doorway; but Ike's bold manner and the decided way
in which he strode out with me, looking sharply from one to the other,
put a stop to all opposition, even if it had been intended.

There were plenty of scowling, menacing looks, and there was a little
hooting from the men, but they gave way, and in another minute we were
out of the court and in the dirty street, with a troop of children
following us and the people on either side looking on.

"But, Ike," I said in a despairing tone, "we haven't got the rope after
all."

"No," he said; "but I've got you out o' that place safe, and I haven't
got much hurt myself, and that's saying a deal. Talk about savages and
wild beasts abroad! why, they're nothing."

"I didn't see any policemen, Ike," I said, as I thought of their power.

"More didn't I," he replied with a grim smile. "They don't care much
about going down these sort o' places; no more don't I. We're well out
of that job, my lad. You didn't ought to have gone."

"But that boy was running off with the best cart rope, Ike," I said
despon