of the window and gazing down till he
was satisfied that his companion was nearly at the bottom, when he
hurried back to the door, unlocked it and withdrew the key, and then,
opening, he felt for the hole and thrust the key in on the outer side.

"There," he muttered; "when they come up here, they won't suspect me."

It was his turn now, and, full of activity, he crept out of the window
and stood for a moment amongst the ivy in the gutter, and then began to
slide so quickly down the double rope that his hands were ready to burn.
As he touched the soft earth he felt Bunny thrust him aside and take
hold of one end of the rope.

"You haul steadily," he whispered; and as the lad drew on the rope the
big country fellow laid it in rings at his feet. "Mind your head," he
whispered, "when t'other end falls."

But Waller was on his guard, and as the end glided round the upright of
the window-frame and came rustling down through the ivy, it just touched
the lad's protecting arm, and that was all.

"I'll hide this here somewhere, where I can find it again," whispered
Bunny. "You won't want to go in again that way when there's the doors."

As the last ring was formed of the rope and caught up by the rough
gipsy-looking fellow, they stood listening to the sound of voices, which
came loudly from within, two of those present recognising the husky,
throaty speech of the village constable, and Waller set it down to
questioning as to where he was.

Directly after, at a word from Bunny, they stepped off the bed on to the
soft turf, just as there was the rattle of a lock, the big door was
thrown open, and a bright bar of light flashed across the lawn, while
_clump, clump_, came the heavy footsteps of a couple of the soldiers
marching through the porch.

To go on seemed to Waller like courting danger; to stand still suggested
the certainty of being seen; and giving Godfrey a thrust, he pressed
onward, risking all, and following Bunny, who was hurrying in the
direction of the forest.

Over and over again Waller felt certain that they must be seen by the
two men, whom he could make out as he glanced back, standing against the
light that came through the porch, and he could hardly believe in their
good fortune, as neither shout nor shot was sent in their direction,
while a few minutes later they were threading their way amongst the
trees.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE ESCAPE.

"Well, so far so good," said Bunny softly. "We ar