o
the cord several small files and a saw of fine temper. If the line is
not strong enough to bear the weight I will tie a light line which I
shall bring with me to yours; you will then haul that up first, and,
making fast the end, you can then pull up the things I shall bring.
If I have any more news then, I will also send up a letter to you.
With the files and saw you must cut away all the bars of your grating
except one. This will leave room for you to climb through. The one
bar must be left to secure a stout rope to, so that you may slide down
it. The work of cutting the bars will take you all to-morrow; so
after my visit to-night I shall not come again until the time arrives
for you to make your escape. Be very careful to work silently, or you
will be discovered, for spies are everywhere. When the bars are cut,
put them back in their places, so that if anyone enters your cell they
shall not notice the change.

"For your first line to lower down to me, unravel your hose or
under-jerkin, or any garment you can spare without it being noticed.
This will give you a long, thin line, to the end of which you must
secure a light weight to prevent it from blowing about. Now, until
to-night, farewell! I shall be there at midnight exactly, and you
must be quite ready. Make no mistake, for this is your only chance,
and any mistake will mean the loss of my life as well as your own."

This ended the letter, and Roger immediately took it from Harry's hand,
and concealed it, with the first missive, in the lining of his jerkin.

"Now, Harry," said he, "we must act at once; for, as the fellow says,
there is no time to lose, and it will take us all the time we have left
before darkness sets in to unravel a garment to form our line. He will
send us up several files, he says in the letter. Now, if we can put
those two stools one on top of the other we shall both be able to stand
on them and work together; which is a fortunate thing, as it will take
us a long time to cut those bars, so thick are they. I hope the noise
will not be heard through the walls, and draw the attention of our
jailers; but we must be as silent as we can, and risk the rest. I am
more glad than ever now that we closed up that spy-hole, for, had we not
done so, we should certainly have been discovered already. Now, Harry,
we had best begin on this under-jerkin of mine; the absence of that will
not be noticed if