If they keep us here many days, we'll
do it."

In the course of the morning a man appeared with a fresh jug of water,
and some bread and cheese, and dried figs. It was better than ordinary
prison fare, and as the man did not look very savage, Paul thought that
he would try and move him to procure them something on which to sleep.
He explained, in the most pathetic language he could command, the misery
they had suffered, and begged for bedding of some sort. The man nodded,
and returned in the evening with some bundles of straw.

"But there is nothing to cover us, and barely sufficient to keep us from
the floor," observed Paul.

The man smiled, and replied, "To-morrow, perhaps, I may find something
of more use to you."

The following day he came again, loaded with a bundle of old sails.
"Seamen have no reason to complain who can obtain such coverlids as
these," he remarked, as he threw them down, and again left the room.

Each time that he went, they heard the sound of the door being locked
and bolted. On undoing the sails they found that ropes were attached to
them, and on examining these they were found to be sound and strong.

"That man is our friend, and depend on it these ropes were not sent in
here by chance," observed O'Grady positively. "Very likely the old
gentleman at the chateau sent him."

They were confirmed in the opinion that the rope was intended for use,
by the appearance of the man, in the evening, to bring them a fresh
supply of provisions.

"I've heard it said that it's no easy matter to keep English seamen in a
cage when they have the will to get out," he remarked, as he turned
round towards the door.

"Are we likely to be kept here long?" Paul asked.

"Until directions have been received from head-quarters, and as they are
some way off, and yours is not a matter of importance, it may be a month
or more," was the answer.

"He means to say that we may select our time for escaping," said Paul
when the man had gone; "unless the rope was sent as a trap to tempt us
to try and escape."

"Oh, they would not take that trouble," observed O'Grady. "If they had
wished to treat us ill, they would have done so."

Three more days passed. The moon did not now rise till nearly midnight.
This would give them ample time to get away out of sight of land before
daylight. That evening their friend brought, with other provisions, a
small keg of water, and a bottle of brandy, which he placed under