beastly lingo, they may depend on that."

Although the picture Rawson had drawn was very melancholy, and too
likely to be true, his latter observation so tickled the fancies of his
hearers, that they all burst into a loud laugh, in which Rawson himself
could not help joining.

"Well, my lads, though we may have some difficulty in breaking out of
this, and more in making our escape, there's no doubt that the
alternative, as Rawson describes it, will be a very unpleasant one,"
exclaimed Mr Calder. "We must all go, or none; and yet I would force
none to go, for the attempt may cost us our lives."

"Never fear, Mr Calder, sir; there'll be no skulkers among us,"
exclaimed Job Truefitt, from among the seamen. "Just you give the word
as if you was on the quarter-deck of our own tight little frigate, and
there is not a man here who won't obey you as smartly, whatever you
thinks fit to order, whether it is to jump off the top of this here
tower, or to knock over every Frenchman we meet."

"Yes, sir,--yes, sir,--that's it. Job speaks the truth," exclaimed
several of the men simultaneously.

The men required no incitement to induce them to attempt escaping,
although there was but little fault to find with the provisions which
had been sent them. There was excellent bread and cheese, and fruit of
various sorts, and some fried fish, though certainly there was neither
beef nor pork, while the _vin du pays_ was of a somewhat thin and sour
description. A few bottles of fiery hot _eau de vie_ would have suited
the taste of the honest tars much better.

This day, like the former one, passed away, and nobody came near the
prisoners; they all wished that the time was come when they were to make
the attempt to escape. The next day, at noon, a much larger supply of
provisions was brought to them. Two men accompanied their friend, the
corporal, to carry them. He also carried a good-sized basket, which he
deposited in a corner of the chamber, and then nodding, without saying a
word, hurried down the steps; as if their friends outside had divined
their wishes, there were half-a-dozen bottles of brandy!

Morton and Rawson were examining the contents of the corporal's basket.

"I thought so," exclaimed Ronald, joyfully; and he pulled out a long
rope, amply strong enough to support the weight of a man. There was no
longer any doubt that they had friends outside, anxious to assist their
escape.

The weather had now become perfect