h; and by morning the side bars
had also all been cut. They did not attempt to cut the main bar
higher up, as, had they done so, it would have been difficult to
keep the portion cut out in its place.

When it was light, they filled up all the cuts with bread, which
they had managed to secrete in the palms of their hands at dinner.
This they kneaded into a sort of putty, rolled it in the dust of
the floor until black, and then squeezed it into the interstices.

"There is no fear of their noticing it," O'Neil said, when they
had finished. "I cannot see the cuts myself from the floor, though
I know where they are; and unless they were to climb up there, and
examine the place very closely, they would not see anything
wrong."

"Shall we hang out the flag today, Kennedy?"

"I think we had better wait till tomorrow. He will be hardly
expecting to see it, today, and may not be ready with the rope and
disguises."

The next morning the signal was hung out. They saw nothing of
Mike, but as he would be able to make out the handkerchief from a
considerable distance, they had no doubt whatever that he had
observed it, but thought it prudent not to show himself near the
prison again. As soon as it was dark they recommenced work, and
had cut through the main bar, and cautiously lowered the grating
to the ground, before the clock struck nine. Then, on hearing
Mike's signal, they lowered the cord, and soon brought up a rope
which, although small, was more than strong enough to support
them.

"We had better tie some knots in it," Desmond said. "They will
help us to avoid sliding down too rapidly. If it was a thick rope,
I think we could manage without them; but, not being sailors, I do
not think that we could grasp this tightly enough."

"How close shall we put them, Kennedy?"

"About two feet apart. Then we can come down hand over hand,
helping our arms by twisting our legs round it.

"Now," he went on, when they had finished the knots, "who will go
down first?"

"You had better do so," O'Sullivan said. "You are the lightest of
us, and, I fancy, the strongest, too."

"Very well. I don't think that it will make any difference, for
the rope is strong enough to hold the three of us together.
However, here goes. We may as well leave our coatees behind us.
They might get us into difficulties, if we took them."

So saying, he took off his coat, fastened the end of the rope
securely to the bars that had been left for the purpo