they made which rendered Somers's strategy more available was in
hunting in crowds instead of singly. They all entered the house together;
and even Gordon, in charge of the other prisoner, conducted him to the
interior, that he might have the pleasure of seeing the fugitive
unearthed.

Taking down the board, Somers emerged from the little window, and, by the
steps which he had before marked out, ascended to the roof; a difficult
feat, which would have been impossible to one whose father was not the
master of a vessel, and who had not explored a ship from the step to the
truck of the mainmast. It was done, safely done, and without much noise,
which would have been as fatal as a fall. As he sprang from the window
still to a projecting stone in the chimney, he heard the steps of the
whole party on the stairs below. He was not an instant too soon in the
execution of his project; and, when he reached the ridge-pole of the
house, he paused to recover the breath which he had lost by excitement
and exertion.

The pursuers occupied some time in examining the store-room and the
adjoining chambers, and he had a sufficient interval for rest before he
renewed his labors. But in a few moments he heard the noise caused by the
party ascending to the loft over the room beneath him, and the movement
could no longer be delayed.

"I tell yer, sergeant, the feller isn't in here!" protested the farmer
violently, and in a tone loud enough for Somers to hear him on the roof.
"Be keerful there, or you'll break down the plastering."

Somers could not hear what the sergeant said in reply; but the farmer was
so earnest in his protest against any further search of his house, that
the fugitive was almost willing to believe that the protester knew he was
in the house, was his friend, and meant to save him from the hands of his
enemies. But this supposition was too absurd to be tolerated, for the
farmer could have no possible interest in his welfare.

While watching, he had taken off his shoes, and thrust one into each
side-pocket of the old blouse he wore, partly to save noise, and partly
to prevent his feet from slipping on the smooth stones of the chimney.
Thus prepared, he climbed to the top, and commenced the descent of the
smoky avenue. He found the opening much smaller than that of his previous
experience in chimneys; and, after he had descended a few feet, the place
became inconveniently dark. He could no longer hear the steps or the
voi