Part 24 (2/2)

The bed-ticking was treated in the saave the and rope at the bottom of the bed would, Bill was sure, reach, at all events, to a short distance froround

As they twisted and bent one piece to another, they surveyed their ith satisfaction, and were convinced that it would bear their weight, though it would hardly have borne that of a ainst each other, and it held perfectly firm

”It will do famously,” exclaiether ”Even if it does not quite reach to the ground, I should nota dozen feet or so”

”But if we do that, the noise we make in our fall may be heard,” said Jack ”Hadn't we better bend on the coverlid? It's not so strong as the sheets, but we can put it at the lower end”

Bill agreed to this, and, as it was of considerable width, it forh almost for a double rope, I expect,” said Bill, as he coiled it away ready to carry to theat the opposite side of the rooh for that,” said Jack; ”even if we had, it won'tthe rope behind The Frenchot out I advise that we round as quietly as we can e to do”

Bill made another trip to the door to listen

”No one is co,” he whispered, as he returned ”Now let's carry the rope to the ”

They did so, and Bill leant out to listen again No sounds reached his ear, except the occasional barking of a dog

”The people go to bed early in this country,” he observed, ”and I aed to the stopped”

”But don't let us forget our grub,” said Jack; and they filled their pockets with the provisions the old wo up the remainder in their handkerchiefs, which they fastened to the lanyards of their knives ”Now let's bend on the rope,” said Bill

They secured it round the iron bar

”I'll go first,” said Jack; ”if the rope bears me, it's certain to bear you”

”No; I proposed the plan, and I ought to go first,” answered Bill

”It's of no use wasting words Don't begin to cooes”

Bill, on saying this, cli between the bar and the side of the , and then, first grasping the bar with his hands, threw his legs off straight down, and began descending the thin rope Jack stretched out his head to watch him, but Bill soon disappeared in the darkness

The rope held, however, though, as he felt it, it appeared stretched to the utmost He could with difficulty draw a breath, while he waited till, by finding the rope slacken, he should know that Bill had safely reached the botto to the rope, while, fro a sound, he was sure that his companion had perfored hi his example, commenced his descent

Down and down he went, but had he not been thoroughly accustomed to suspend himself on thin ropes, he could not have held on It seemed to him that he should never reach the bottoo he could not tell

All at once he felt a hand grasping hi A sudden fear seized hiot hold of Bill, and were they about to recapture hi out; still, as there would be no use in atteain, he continued to lower himself

The hand ithdrawn, and presently he found that he had reached the ground

”All right,” whispered Bill in his ear; ”I caught hold of your ankle to let you understand that you were close to the bottom Now let's be off!

The harbour lies directly under yonder star I ain just before I began to descend the rope”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

VOYAGE ON THE RAFT