hat was necessary, and she at once consented
to be placed in the cradle, into which she was carefully fastened with
Reginald and Dick's handkerchiefs.

"I hear some one moving below," whispered Sambro. "No time to lose;"
and Reginald and Dick carefully lowered Nuna over the wall, and let her
slowly descend, while Sambro kept watch on the trap. The end of the
rope had been secured to some ironwork on the roof, and it was an
immense relief when Reginald felt that Nuna had safely reached the
ground.

"Now, sir, you go down by the rope, and take care of the young lady,"
said Dick, "and I will make the black find his way down by the ladder."

Before Reginald had reached the bottom, Buxsoo had released Nuna, who
expressed her thankfulness at finding Reginald by her side.

"We must wait for our two followers before we take to flight," he said.
"We will then endeavour to get to a distance from the place. Here comes
one of them."

As he spoke, Sambro was seen descending the ladder. Before he reached
the bottom, however, the sound of men struggling was heard, with the
loud cries of a native, responded to by Dick Thuddichum's gruff voice.

"I must go and assist my faithful follower," exclaimed Reginald,
preparing to ascend the ladder.

"Oh, do not leave me," cried Nuna.

The sound of the struggling now became more distinct. For a moment it
ceased, and then a noise followed, as if a heavy body had fallen to the
ground, apparently on the other side of the tower. Reginald sprang to
the spot, dreading to find that it was that of honest Dick; but the
white dress which covered the mangled heap of humanity showed him that
it was a native who had been thrown down from that fearful height.
Hurrying back, he caught sight of Dick rapidly descending the rope.

"We must be away from this pretty sharp, sir," he exclaimed; "for if we
are not, we shall have a whole tribe of the ugly blackamoors after us.
I pitched half-a-dozen of them down the steps, and then had to run for
it. However, all is right at present, and it may be some time before
they find their way out of the front door."

On receiving this startling intelligence, Reginald seized Nuna in his
arms and bore her down the hill, Buxsoo keeping by his side, while Dick
and Sambro brought up the rear to cover their retreat.

"I wish, Sambro, that you had had a musket or a brace of pistols, and we
would have kept the enemy at bay till our masters had carried off the
young