h terror as he could
assume, considering that he had hoped in a few hours to be out of the
reach of all French myrmidons of the law, and in a few words thanked the
citizen Montauban for his kind purpose, adding that a French midshipman
of the same name had long been his companion.

"Undoubtedly a nephew of citizen Montauban's, and his heir. The young
man was long supposed to be lost; but he was here a short time back, and
it is owing to the kind way he was treated by the English, that the old
gentleman takes so warm an interest in you. However, lie down; I will
tell him what you say, and he will communicate with you to-morrow,
unless something should occur to prevent him. Good night."

"I hope that something will occur," cried Paul, jumping up as soon as
the officer was gone. "Very kind of the old gentleman, and just like
Alphonse to interest his uncle in our favour."

"Yes, indeed," said O'Grady; "curious, though, that we should have
fallen in with so many of his relations."

Just then, however, they were too much engrossed with the work in hand
to talk on the subject. They considered it safer to wait another hour
or more before moving, lest they should encounter any straggler on their
way to the harbour, or be seen descending the tower.

"Time to start," cried O'Grady, who, as the senior officer, was to take
the command.

Their knapsacks were soon secured to their backs. Reuben used his
wooden leg to assist in securing the rope by driving it into the wall.
They all soon climbed up to the roof, and let down the rope, which
reached nearly to the bottom, as far as they could judge. Should it not
prove long enough, and stones be underneath, broken limbs would be the
consequence. Paul was certain that there was sand (as they had gone
nearly round the tower when looking for the door), and, as the youngest
and lightest, volunteered to go first. He without hesitation flung
himself off; but at the moment he began to descend, it occurred to him
that he might possibly have to pass before one of the windows of the
guard-room, and he half expected to find himself seized and dragged in
by a gendarme. It was too late, however, to go back. All must be
risked. So down he cautiously slid, doing his best to make no noise.
He kept his feet tightly pressed against the rope, that he might
ascertain when he had reached the end. Suddenly he felt that there was
no more rope. At all events all the windows had been avoided.