"

They were jagged on top and strewn with bits of broken bottle imbedded
in the mortar.

"But," thought Archie, "why cut one's hands when it is so easy to
throw a jacket over the glass and save the pain?"

The walls apparently served no good purpose except to frighten the
populace with their frowns.

* * * * *

As big Deschamps, the jailer, led Archie through the musty corridors
and cells the boy perceived that the old building had long ago gone to
wrack. It was a place of rust and dust and dry rot, of crumbling
masonry, of rotted casements, of rust-eaten bars, of creaking hinges
and broken locks. He had the impression that a strong man could break
in the doors with his fist and tumble the walls about his ears with a
push.

"This way, monsieur," said Deschamps, at last. "Come! I will show you
the pig of a Newfoundlander who half killed a gendarme. He is a
terrible fellow."

He had Skipper Bill safe enough--thrown into a foul-aired, windowless
cell with an iron-bound door, from which there was no escape. To
release him was impossible, whatever the condition of the jail in
other parts. Archie had hoped to find a way; but when he saw the cell
in which Skipper Bill was confined he gave up all idea of a rescue.
And at that moment the skipper came to the narrow grating in the door.
He scowled at the jailer and looked the boy over blankly.

"Pah!" exclaimed Deschamps, screwing his face into a look of disgust.

"You wait 'til I cotches _you!_" the skipper growled.

"What does the pig say, monsieur?" Deschamps asked.

"He has not yet repented," Archie replied, evasively.

"Pah!" said Deschamps again. "Come, monsieur; we shall continue the
inspection."

Archie was taken to the furthermost cell of the corridor. It was
isolated from that part of the building where the jailer had his
living quarters, and it was a light, roomy place on the ground floor.
The window bars were rusted thin and the masonry in which they were
sunk was falling away. It seemed to Archie that he himself could
wrench the bars away with his hands; but he found that he could not
when he tried them. He looked out; and what he saw made him regret
that Skipper Bill had not been confined in that particular cell.

"This cell, monsieur," said Deschamps, importantly, "is where I
confine the drunken Newfoundland sailors when----"

Archie looked up with interest.

"When they make a great noise, monsieur," De