as any I know. For if we had not been so completely
occupied filing through the staples of our collars we should not have
omitted to take into consideration the fact that, even when we should
have removed the chains that bound us, we would still be prisoners in
the room. I'm very much afraid, however, even had we remembered this
point, we should only have considered it of minor importance and one to
be easily overcome. As it was, the unwelcome fact remained that the door
_was_ locked, and, what was worse, that the lock itself had, for
security's sake, been placed on the outside, so that there was no chance
of our being able to pick it, even had our accomplishments lain in that
direction.

"Try the window," whispered Beckenham, in answer to the heavy sigh which
followed my last discovery.

Accordingly we crossed the room, and I put my hands upon one of the
boards and pulled. But I might as well have tried to tow a troopship
with a piece of cotton, for all the satisfactory result I got; the
planks were trebly screwed to the window frame, and each in turn defied
me. When I was tired Beckenham put his strength to it, but even our
united efforts were of no avail, and, panting and exhausted, we were at
length obliged to give it up as hopeless.

"This is a pretty fix we've got ourselves into," I said as soon as I had
recovered sufficient breath to speak. "How on earth are we to escape?"

"I can't say, unless we manage to burst that door and fight our way out.
I wonder if that could be done."

"First, let's look at the door."

We crossed the room again, and I examined the door carefully. It was not
a very strong one; but I was sufficient of a carpenter to know that it
would withstand a good deal of pressure before it would give way.

"I've a good mind to try it," I said; "but in that case, remember, it
will probably mean a hand-to-hand fight on the other side, and, unarmed
and weak as we are, we shall be pretty sure to get the worst of it."

"Never mind that," my intrepid companion replied, with a confidence in
his voice that I was very far from feeling. "In for a penny, in for a
pound; even if we're killed it couldn't be worse than being buried
alive."

"That's so, and if fighting's your idea, I'm your man," I answered. "Let
me first take my bearings, and then I'll see what I can do against it.
You get out of the way, but be sure to stand by to rush the passage
directly the door goes."

Again I felt the door and w