nly up the walls, but the top of one
could be seen against the skyline.

"Mount, Chebron! There is no time to loose. They may be here at any
moment."

Chebron mounted, followed closely by his companion. Just as he gained
the top of the wall several men carrying torches ran into the court
and began to search along the side lying in shadow. Just as Amuba
joined Chebron one of the searchers caught sight of them, and with a
shout ran toward the ladder.

"Pull, Chebron!" Amuba exclaimed as he tried to haul up the ladder.

Chebron at once assisted him, and the foot of the ladder was already
many feet above the ground before the men reached it. The height of
the wall was some fifty feet, and light as was the construction of the
ladder, it was as much as the lads could do to pull it up to the top.
The wall was fully twelve feet in thickness, and as soon as the ladder
was up Amuba said:

"Keep away from the edge, Chebron, or it is possible that in this
bright moonlight we may be recognized. We must be going on at once.
They will tie the short ladders together and be after us directly."

"Which way shall we go?"

"Toward the outer wall, as far as possible from the gate. Bring the
ladder along."

Taking it upon their shoulders they hurried along. Critical as the
position was, Amuba could not help remarking on the singularity of
the scene. The massive walls were all topped with white cement and
stretched like broad ribbons, crossing and recrossing each other in
regular parallelograms on a black ground.

Five minutes' running took them to the outer wall, and the ladder was
again lowered and they descended, and then stood at its foot for a
moment to listen. Everything was still and silent.

"It is lucky they did not think of sending men to watch outside the
walls when they first caught sight of us, or we should have been
captured. I expect they thought of nothing but getting down the other
ladders and fastening them together. Let us make straight out and get
well away from the temple, and then we will return to your house at
our leisure. We had better get out of sight if we can before our
pursuers find the top of the ladder, then as they will have no idea in
which direction we have gone they will give up the chase."

After an hour's walking they reached home. On the way they had
discussed whether or not Chebron should tell Ameres what had taken
place, and had agreed that it would be best to be silent.

"Your father wo