see him vanish through
that. It may be that he will return again, however. If it is really
some person who is anxious to assist us to escape--and I cannot imagine
that it would be any other--he will be sure to come back as soon as it
is safe for him to do so. But I must confess that I cannot understand
why he seemed to be waiting for a message. If he had been trying to get
a paper or message to us it would have been a different matter; for the
first arrangements for escape must come from outside, and not from us.
We could do nothing without first learning what arrangements can be made
by our supposititious friend outside. Left to ourselves, we can
contrive no plan of escape. But the man has disappeared for the time
being, and we can do naught until we get into communication with him, so
let us get on with that cipher. I have found something that will do
nicely for a pen. While I was standing on your shoulders, and after the
mysterious man had gone, I had a look among that stuff on the
window-sill, and was lucky enough to find this feather. It has been a
long time there, judging by its appearance, and must have been dropped
by some bird which by this time is doubtless dead. I should say that
some other prisoner was once in the habit of feeding birds from this
grating; and probably it was one of them that dropped this feather,
which will be of so much service to us. We can cut it into a pen, and I
will now tell you where we can find our ink. Just take this knife of
yours, make a small cut in my arm, and--there is plenty of ink for us,
although it is red; but that does not matter."

With the knife Roger then carefully trimmed the quill of the small
feather down into a fairly effective pen, and then turned his attention
once more to the cipher.

Harry, who for some time past had been feeling the pangs of hunger
rather severely, remonstrated with his friend.

"Look here, Roger," said he, "let us eat our dinner before going on with
that translation. I am feeling very hungry."

"No, my friend," replied Roger, "there is no time like the present. For
aught we know we may never have another opportunity to work on this
cryptogram. Our food can wait, and we shall relish it the more when we
have time to eat it; but let us get finished with this matter first."

Harry saw the wisdom of his chum's remark, and, casting one more longing
glance at the food, rejoined Roger at the stone table, and both lads
began to por