rt. It was too high to jump from, and the only other way was by a
rope, but there was no rope in the room. Had there been a bedstead of
the right kind, the bedcord would have served his purpose, but there
was no bedstead at all. With a democratic contempt for such a luxury,
all three slept on the floor. The prospect was not encouraging.

"I wonder if I could hang out of the window?" thought Julius.

He looked out, and decided that he would run the risk of breaking a
limb if he attempted it. So that plan had to be given up.

Julius sat down and reflected. It occurred to him that perhaps Mrs.
O'Connor's key (she roomed just beneath) would open the door. At any
rate it was worth trying.

He stamped on the floor with such force that, as he expected, it
attracted the attention of those beneath. Listening intently, he heard
the woman ascending the staircase. He began to jump up and down with
renewed vigor.

"What's the matter wid ye?" called Mrs. O'Connor through the keyhole.
"Are you drunk?"

"I'm sick," returned Julius.

"Is it the jumpin' toothache ye have?" asked the Irish woman.

"I'm awful sick. I don't know what it is."

"Open the door, and I'll come in."

"I can't. The door's locked, and Jack has gone away."

Here Julius began to groan again.

"Poor bye!" said the compassionate woman. "What will I do for ye?"

"Try the door with your key. Perhaps it will open it."

"I'll do that same."

She drew out a key, and tried to put it in the lock, but to no
purpose. It would not fit.

"I can't open it," she said.

This was a severe disappointment to Julius, who saw his chances of
success fade away one by one.

"Have you got a clothes-line, Mrs. O'Connor?" he asked, suddenly.

"Yes," said the good woman, rather astonished, with a vague idea that
Julius expected to cure himself by means of it. "And what for do you
want it?"

"If you will go down to the court and throw it up to me, I'll get out
of the window."

"And what good will that do you?"

"I will go for the doctor."

"I'll go meself, and save you the trouble."

"But he can't get through the keyhole."

"Thrue for you. Wait a bit, and I'll do it."

Mrs. O'Connor descended, and, obtaining from her room a well-worn
clothes-line, went below, and, after two or three futile attempts,
succeeded in throwing it up so that Julius could seize it.

"Thank you, Mrs. O'Connor," said the boy in exultation. "I'll come
down directly."

He soon had it se