I reckon that he will be an hour or two,
before he will get breath enough to holloa, even without that gag."

The other man was captured as silently as the former had been. When he
was bound, Roger said:

"Now for the hook, master."

"Here is the iron. It was too strong for me to bend."

Roger took it and, exerting his great strength, bent it across his
knee. Then he took the coil of rope, and tied a knot at the end, and
with some smaller cord lashed it securely along the whole length of the
hook.

"Now, Master, do you get on to my shoulders, and I think you will be
able to hook it to the battlements. It is not above twelve feet. If you
find that you cannot, step on my head."

"I am sure I can reach it without that, Roger."

And indeed, he found that he could do so easily; and having fixed it
firmly, he got hold of the rope, and hoisted himself to the top of the
turret. In a minute, Roger was beside him.

Feeling about, they soon discovered the trapdoor, on which Roger
knocked three times. Then they heard a grating sound below and,
shortly, one end of the heavy trapdoor was slightly raised. The two men
got their fingers under it, and pulled it up, and Janet and Jessie ran
out, both crying with joy and excitement.

"Hush!" Oswald whispered. "Do not utter a sound. There are sentries on
other parts of the walls, and the slightest noise might be heard.

"Now, we will knot this rope."

He and Roger set to work, and before long knots were tied, a foot
apart, along the whole length of the rope.

"I will take you down first, Jessie, for you are the lightest," Oswald
said.

"Now, Roger, tie us together."

One of the pieces of rope Roger had brought was passed round and round
them, tying them firmly, face to face.

"Now, Jessie, you had best take hold of the rope, too, and take as much
of your weight off me as you can. It is a long way down; and, though I
think that I could carry your weight that distance, it is best that you
should help me as much as you are able."

The rope was shifted to the outside of the turret. Roger, after fixing
it firmly, helped them over the battlements, holding Oswald by the
collar, until he had a firm grasp of the rope in his hands, and
obtained a hold with his feet.

"That is right, Jessie," he whispered, as the girl also took a firm
hold of the rope. "You are no weight, like that. Now, let the rope pass
gradually through your hands and, when I tell you, hold tight by one of
t