ound of bolts or bars, we guessed that there
were none to the door.

The light of the moon shone directly in through a loop-holed slip of a
window, and we saw some billets of wood, and a small cask or two, and a
few three-legged stools, with a broken table, and the remains of a
bedstead, showing that the place had once been inhabited. Mr Ronald
took a seat, and told us to follow his example; so we all sat down,
feeling certainly very melancholy at first. We had much reason to be
melancholy, for by this time we had heard a good deal about French
prisons, and the treatment English prisoners received in them; and we
could scarcely fancy a worse fate than to have to spend our future days
in one. The lieutenant, however, was not the man to allow himself or
others long to indulge in such thoughts. He got up.

"We are in a bad plight, certainly, my lads," said he; "but we'll see if
we cannot mend it. I have been in a worse plight myself--and so, I
daresay, have you--and managed to escape without damage. Perhaps we may
do so in this case."

"Yes, sir," said Peter; "indeed I have." And he described how we had
escaped from the pirates' den in Cuba.

I told my companions how I had been preserved from being murdered by the
Maroons; and altogether we soon got each other's spirits up. My wounded
arm hurt me not a little, but Peter took off my jacket, and bound it up
carefully; and though I cannot say that the pain was much decreased, I
resolved to bear it without complaining.

Meantime, Mr Ronald made a minute examination of the place of our
confinement; and by stepping on the table he discovered a hole in the
roof, which he found that he could, without difficulty, make as large as
he might wish. He at once set to work to do so, we all talking and
walking about the room, to conceal any noise he might make. When he had
got the hole large enough to admit his body, Peter, putting his shoulder
under him, gave him a hoist through it, and with his hands and elbows he
quickly scrambled up on the roof. As it sloped very much he could not
walk about, so he sat himself down to make his observations. Having
done so, and stayed some time to consider matters and form his plans, he
came back into the room.

"My lads," said he, calling us round him, "you must clearly understand
the position we are in. We are prisoners to our greatest enemies. They
may choose to consider us as spies, and may cut our throats, or shoot us
as such;