falling with a crash. We must push from the bottom now,
until it gives sufficiently far for you to get an iron down each side,
to prevent its closing again."

"Now," he said, "push the irons higher up. That is right. Now I will
loosen a bit farther at the top, and then you will be able to get your
hands in at the bottom to steady it, and prevent its falling when the
nails are quite drawn."

Another effort, and the plank was free, and, being drawn in, was laid
down. The delight of those who were standing in the dark, and could
only judge how matters were going on from Francis's low spoken orders,
was extreme.

"Can we get through?"

"No," Francis replied. "It will be necessary to remove another plank
first, but perhaps one of the slighter among you might manage to
squeeze through, and hold the plank at the back. We shall be able to
work with more freedom, if we know that there is no danger of its
falling."

In a few minutes, the second plank was laid beside the first.

"What is to be done next?" Matteo asked.

"We must establish a communication with the sailors. I will take a
working party of four. Paolo Parucchi, with four others, will relieve
me. You, Matteo, will with the rest take the last spell. When we have
entered the next compartment, we will put up the planks again, and
press the nails in tightly enough to prevent their falling. Should, by
some chance, anyone descend into the hold while we are working, we
shall be hidden from their view. At the other end there are a number of
sacks piled up, and we shall be working behind them."

Francis, and the men he had chosen, made their way to the pile of arms
they had observed through their peephole, moving with great precaution,
so as to avoid falling over anything. Here, with some trouble, they
succeeded in finding a dagger among the heap, and they then felt their
way on, until they reached the pile of sacks. These were packed to
within a foot of the deck beams, and there was but just room for them
to crawl in at the top.

"Whatever you do, do not bump against the beams," Francis said. "Any
noise of that sort, from below, would at once excite attention. Now do
you be quiet, while I find a spot to begin upon."

Commencing at a junction of two planks, Francis began, with the dagger,
to cut a hole of some three or four inches across, but tapering rapidly
as it went in. After waiting for some ten minutes, he touched the man
lying next to him, placed his hand o