shed by the Brazilians, should they discover that he
had carried information to the English ships of what had taken place.
Even Higson began to fear that they had been duped.

"I think that it's high time that we should try and set ourselves free,
at all events," he said, after sitting silent for some time. "Though we
may be unable to escape either through the window or roof, perhaps we
may make our way under the walls, and, if we are once outside, we may
get hold of the sentry's arms, and manage to reach our boat."

All agreed to Higson's proposal. Archy Gordon and Desmond were
stationed at the window to give notice should any one attempt to look
in, while the rest carefully examined the ground round the walls. A
soft spot was found, and they agreed that it would be easy to excavate
it with their knives and pieces of the bench which had been easily
wrenched off. Believing nobody would come in for the remainder of the
day, they at once set to work, and before long had dug a tunnel through
which Snatchblock could creep, and he declared that he could easily
force the ground up on the outside. The earth, as they took it out,
they rammed under the benches. They had observed that the hut in which
they were confined stood in an open space by the side of a road, so that
people only passed in front of it. This greatly assisted them, and
prevented the risk of discovery, for the ground above their tunnel was
so thin that any one stepping on it would have inevitably fallen
through. The whole work was completed soon after nightfall. They then
waited anxiously till the sounds in the village should have ceased.

"Now the sooner we are off the better," said Higson. "Snatchblock and I
will creep out first and seize the sentry, and the rest of you follow
directly you find that we have got hold of him."

"Let me go first, sir," said Snatchblock; "my shoulders are best fitted
for shoving up the earth."

Higson agreed to this, and they crept into their tunnel. Snatchblock
had taken a piece of board which he put on his shoulders, and, giving a
hearty shove, up flew the earth, and out he came into the open air.
Higson and the rest followed. While the two first crept cautiously
round the hut, the remainder crouched down. Snatchblock waited till the
sentry came close to the end of the wall, then, making a spring, he
clapped his hands over the man's mouth, while Higson seized his musket.
They then dragged him back, and, putting