at
delight, Don found that it was fastened inside, opening outwards by
means of a couple of hinges at the highest end, and provided with a
ratchet, to keep it open to any distance required.

"Can you bear me if I try to open it, Jem?"

"Can I? Ah!"

Jem was a true bearer, standing as fast as a small elephant as Don
opened the window, and then supporting himself by a beam which ran
across the opening, thrust out his head and surveyed the exterior.

He was not long in making out their position--in the top floor of a
warehouse, the roof sloping, so that escape along it was impossible,
while facing him was the blank wall of a higher building, evidently on
the other side of a narrow alley. Don looked to right, but there was no
means of making their position known so as to ask for help. To the left
he was no better off, and seeing that the place had been well chosen as
a temporary lock-up for the impressed men, Don prepared to descend.

"Better shut the window fust, Mas' Don."

The suggestion was taken, and then Don leaped down and faced his
fellow-prisoner, repeating the information he had roughly communicated
before.

"Faces a alley, eh?" said Jem. "Can't we go along the roof."

"I don't believe a cat could go in safety, Jem."

"Well, we aren't cats, Mas' Don, are we? Faces a alley, eh? Wasn't
there no windows opposit'?"

"Nothing but a blank wall."

"Well, it's all right, Mas' Don. We'd better set to work. Only wants a
rope with one end fastened in here, and then we could slide down."

"Yes," said Don gloomily; "the window is unfastened, and the way clear,
but where's the rope?"

"There," said Jem, and he pointed to the end of the loft.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

WORKING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

"There. Those sacks?"

"That's it, Mas' Don. I've got my knife. You got yourn?"

"Yes."

"Then here goes, then, to unravel them sacks till we've got enough to
make a rope. This loft's a capital place to twist him. It's all right,
sir, only help me work away, and to-night we'll be safe home."

"To-night, Jem? Not before?"

"Why, we sha'n't have the rope ready; and if we had, it would be no use
to try by daylight. No, sir; we must wait till it's dark, and work
away. If we hear any one coming we can hide the rope under the other
sacks; so come on."

They seated themselves at the end of the loft, and worked away rapidly
unravelling the sacking and rolling the yarn up into balls, each of
which was