y well, Tim. As I kept you up then, 'twill be easy enough for me,
now, to take you across the moat. I will go first, and when I get into
the water, will keep hold of the rope till you come down. Take off
your boots, for they would be heard scraping against the wall. Be sure
you make as little noise as possible, and lower yourself quietly into
the water."

Charlie then removed his own boots, squeezed himself through the bars
and, grasping the rope tightly, began to descend. He found the knots
of immense assistance, for had it not been for them, unaccustomed as
he was to the work, he would have been unable to prevent himself from
sliding down too rapidly. The window was fully sixty feet above the
moat, and he was very thankful when, at last, he felt the water touch
his feet. Lowering himself quietly into it, he shook the rope, to let
Tim know that he could begin his descent.

Before Tim was halfway down, Charlie could hear his hard breathing,
and muttered ejaculations to himself:

"Shure I'll never get to the bottom at all, my arms are fairly
breaking. I shall squash Mr. Charles, if I fall on him."

"Hold your tongue, Tim," Charlie said in a loud whisper.

Tim was silent, but the panting and puffing increased, and Charlie
swam a stroke or two away, expecting every moment that Tim would fall.
The Irishman, however, held on; but let himself into the water with a
splash, which aroused the attention of the sentry above, who instantly
challenged.

Tim and Charlie remained perfectly quiet. Again the sentry challenged.
Then there was a long silence. The sentry probably was unwilling to
rouse the place by a false alarm, and the splash might have been
caused by the fall of a piece of decayed stone from the face of the
wall.

"Tim, you clumsy fellow," whispered Charlie, "you nearly spoiled all."

"Shure, yer honor, I was kilt entirely, and my arms were pulled out of
my sockets. Holy Mother, who'd have thought 'twould be so difficult to
come down a rope! The sailors are great men, entirely."

"Now, Tim, lie quiet. I will turn you on your back, and swim across
with you."

The moat was some twenty yards wide. Charlie swam across, towing Tim
after him, and taking the greatest pains to avoid making the slightest
splash. The opposite side was of stonework, and rose six feet above
the water. As soon as they touched the wall, a stout rope was lowered
to them.

"Now, Tim, you climb up first."

"Is it climb up, yer honor? I c