vents commence operations without delay. Each of them, therefore,
carrying a bundle of pegs, they crept back to the foot of the tower.
Dick wisely selected the dark side, looking the same way as the back of
the temple, on which the moon, when she got up, would not shine, and at
once began fixing in the pegs. He soon found that he could not place
them one above another, but had to choose the spots from which the
plaster had fallen out; so that the pegs were sometimes on one side and
sometimes on another. He could have proceeded much faster had he been
able to use a stone for driving them in; but, of course, the noise that
would have made would have led to the discovery of their proceedings.
Up and up Dick climbed, fastening the rope securely to the pegs, so that
did one come out he might save himself by the rope fixed to the others.
Perseverance overcomes all difficulties. The end of the rope which hung
down enabled him to haul up the other pegs as they were required.

At length he reached the parapet, and, climbing over, found himself
standing on a flat roof. Reginald climbed up next, carrying the rope by
which it was proposed to lower Nuna down. Sambro followed them, though,
less accustomed to climbing than Reginald and Dick, he had much more
difficulty than they had in getting up. Buxsoo remained below to keep
watch, and to receive Nuna on her arrival at the bottom.

On searching about, a trap-door was found in the roof. It was easily
lifted. Reginald stationed Sambro at the top, whilst he, revolver in
hand, and followed by Dick, descended a flight of stone steps, carefully
feeling his way, and not knowing what was at the bottom. By this time
the moon was up, and her light streaming through the open trap enabled
him to ascertain that he was in a large unfurnished chamber. Carefully
groping his way round, he discovered another flight of steps, leading to
the lower storey. He and Dick cautiously descended, feeling the wall
with their hands, on the chance of discovering the door of a lower
chamber, which they guessed must exist. They were right in their
conjectures. Not only was a door found, but through the chinks
proceeded the light of a lamp burning within. Could Nuna be there?
That such was the case was probable; but the room, on the other hand,
might be tenanted by a party of armed men, and should they open the
door, there would be no little danger in finding themselves among them.
The steps, it was e