He knew that he was greatly superior in strength to any of the little
Spanish soldiers, and that with the advantage of surprise he ought to be
able to succeed without noise.

About an hour after it became dark he heard the footsteps come to the next
cell, then he took his place close against the wall by the side of his
door and waited.

As the bolts were drawn back he took a deep breath. The warder as usual
came in first, followed closely by the armed guard. As the latter entered,
Stephen sprang upon him, and his hands closed upon the man's throat with
so fierce a grip that the musket fell instantly from the fellow's hands.
Without losing his grasp in the slightest Stephen whirled him round and
threw him against the warder, whom the shock brought to the ground,
Stephen hurling the already almost insensible soldier upon him. Seizing
the musket he brought the butt end down upon the soldier's head with a
force amply sufficient to stun him; then he rolled him off the warder's
body and helped the latter to his feet.

"I was obliged to be rough with you," he said, "in order that that fellow
when he comes to his senses may confirm your story that you were at once
knocked down. Of course I shall tie and gag you both."

"Yes, and before you go you had better give me a tap with that musket. You
need not hit me quite so hard as you did him, but it must be hard enough
to make a good bump. You needn't be afraid of hurting me. I am well paid
for anything that may happen, though indeed I did not expect it to come
like this."

"In the first place I am going to take your clothes," Stephen said. "You
can say that you were insensible when I stripped you; but first I want you
to tell me how I can get out."

"You won't have much difficulty about that," the man replied. "When we
have taken round supper our work is done for the night, and half of us are
free to go out and spend the evening. You turn down the first staircase
you come to, follow it to the bottom, then take the corridor to the right
and go on until you come to an open door. Two soldiers will be standing
there on sentry, but they ask no questions of the warders. You had better
wait when you get in sight of the door till you see that no one else is
going out, or it might be noticed that you were a stranger and questions
might be asked you. Now you had better lose no time, or the others may be
out before you get there, and the door be shut."

[Illustration: STEPHEN MAKES A