boys ran to the door, and, to their
satisfaction, found that they could easily open it, though it appeared
to be securely locked.

From the remarks the Frenchman had made, they had some hopes that he
would bring them food; they therefore lay down on the bench to await his
return.

Greatly to their satisfaction, in a short time they again heard a step
on the stair, and the soldier who had before paid them a visit entered,
carrying a basket with some bread and cheese, dried figs, and some wine
in a bottle. He also brought up a piece of candle, and a lump of wood
with a spike in it, which served as a candlestick.

He placed these on the table with the contents of the basket.

"There," he said, "eat away; you may have a long march to-morrow, and if
you haven't strength we may have to carry you."

The boys pretended not to understand him; but both exclaimed, as they
saw the viands, "Merci! merci!" and put out their hands to shake that of
the soldier, who seemed, while performing a kind action, to be in much
better humour than before.

"Mangez! mes braves garcons," he remarked. "What is over you can have
for breakfast to-morrow morning, as maybe you'll get nothing else
brought you."

"Merci! merci!" answered Jack and Bill, as they escorted the soldier to
the door, letting him suppose that these were the only two words they
understood.

As soon as he had turned the key in the door, they hurried to the table,
and eagerly devoured some of the bread and cheese.

"It's fortunate we've got so large a stock of food," said Bill; "there's
enough here, if we are careful of it, for a couple of days."

There was in the bottle but a small allowance of wine, which was
excessively sour; but it served to quench their thirst, though they
agreed that they would much rather have had fresh water.

Having finished their supper, they divided the remainder of the food
into two portions, which they stowed away in their pockets. They then
waited till they had reason to suppose, from hearing no noise ascending
the stairs, that the soldiers in the guard-room had gone to sleep.

Having cautiously opened the door, they next examined the steps, and
found that they could wrench up those of the upper part of the flight
without making much noise. They had to be quick about it, as their
candle would soon burn out.

First, having closed the door, they got up seven of the steps, beginning
at the uppermost one, till they formed a gap which it