ine. Choose the two sharpest edged of the daggers, and be sure to cut
clean, and not to make a scraping noise or to try to break out pieces
of wood. The work must be done in absolute quiet. Indeed, however
careful you are, it is possible that some slight sound may be heard
above, but, if noticed, it will probably be taken for the rats."

Matteo and another of the young men at once fell to work; but it was
not until the evening of the following day that cuts were made as deep
as was considered prudent. The depth of wood remaining was tested by
thrusting the point of a dagger through, and it was decided that little
more than a quarter of an inch remained.

Upon the following day the ship anchored, and remained for two days in
some port. Provisions were brought on board and carried down into the
hold, and the prisoners had no doubt that they were in harbour on the
coast of either Sicily, or the south of Italy. They had not set sail
many hours, when the motion of the ship told them that the wind was
getting up, and by night the vessel was rolling heavily, the noise made
by the dashing of the water against her planks being so great, that
those below could scarcely hear each other speak. Their spirits had
risen with the increase of the motion, for the opportunity for which
they had been waiting was now at hand. In a gale the vessels would keep
well apart from each other, to prevent the danger of a collision, and
any outcry would be drowned by the noise of the wind and water.

Each night Francis had paid a visit to the sailors forward, to enjoin
patience until he should give them the order for making the attempt.
They had long since cut through the planks, which were only retained in
their place by the pressure of the sacks behind them. He had bade them
be in readiness on the first occasion on which rough weather might set
in, and knew that they would now be expecting the signal.

As soon, then, as it became dark, and the hatch over the middle hold
was closed; the planks were removed, and Francis and his party set to
work shifting the sacks, in the corner where the sailors had cut the
planks. Each sack was taken up, and placed against the pile further on,
without the slightest noise, until at last all were removed that stood
in the way of the planks being taken down. These were carried out into
the hold.

Francis entered the gap. The sailors had already been informed that the
occasion had come, and that they were to remain