should get along. But
anything's better than sitting down and not having a try."

"Yes, anything," said Mike, in a low, excited whisper.

"Yes, anything. We must try for the sake of those at home. I know my
father is sure to say to me, `Didn't you try to escape?'"

"So will mine," said Mike. "Oh yes, we must have a good try. Think we
can climb up?"

"I'm just going to try," said Vince, kneeling down to take off his
boots. "If you like to try you can. If not, you've got to go down on
all fours under the window, so that I can step on your back and climb
out."

Mike was silent for a few moments, and then he said softly,--

"I'll do which you like, Cinder."

"Then I think I'll try first. If I can't manage it you can."

"But stop a moment: suppose there's any one on deck?"

"It will be very dark."

"But there'll be lanthorns burning and a watch kept."

"I feel sure there'll be no lights, because they might be seen from the
cliffs; and as they know they're so safe here, I don't believe there'll
be any watch kept."

"I wish I'd got a head like yours, Cinder."

"Do you? Well, we can't change. That's it. My! how tight my boots
were! It's getting them wet and letting them dry on one's feet.--Pst!
Slip into your berth."

Their needs and experience were beginning to make them obey a sharp
order without question; and as Vince lowered down the shutter Mike
crawled into the lower bunk silently enough, while, almost without a
sound, Vince crept into the one above, stretched himself upon his back,
and placed his hands together under his head.

The reason for this sudden action was that he had seen a gleam of light
play for a moment beneath the rough door; and they were hardly in their
places when there was the sound of descending steps on the ladder, the
shape of the door marked out plainly by the light all round. Then came
the rattling of a key in the padlock, which was drawn out of the staple,
the door was flung open, and the hutch of a place was filled with the
dull, soft light of a lanthorn, as a man stepped in.

It was hard work to lie there with the lanthorn held close up to them,
but the boys both stood the ordeal. Mike was lying with his face close
to the bulkhead, and of course with his back to their visitor and his
features in the shade; but Vince's was the harder task, for he had
assumed his attitude as being the most sleep-like, and to give better
effect to his piece of acting, he had opened