at the chances of making their way
separately were much greater than if together. This being arranged,
Vincent passed a note next day to Dan, telling him to have three
disguises in readiness, and to be at the foot of the western wall,
halfway along, at twelve o'clock on the first wet night. A string would
be thrown over, with a knife fastened to it. He was to pull on the
string till the rope came into his hand, and to hold that tight until
they were over. Vincent chose this spot because it was equally removed
from the sentry-boxes at the corners of the yard, and because there was
a stone seat in the yard to which one end of the rope could be attached.

That night was fine, but the next was thick and misty. At nine o'clock
all were in bed, and he lay listening to the clocks in the distance. Ten
struck, and eleven, and when he thought it was approaching twelve he got
up and crept to the window. He was joined immediately by the others; the
screw-driver was set to work; and, as he expected, Vincent found no
trouble whatever with the screws, which were not yet rusted in the wood,
and turned immediately when the powerful screw-driver was applied to
them. When all were out the bar was carefully lifted from its place and
laid upon the floor.

The rope was then put round one of the other bars and drawn through it
until the two ends came together. These were then dropped to the ground
below. Geary went first, Jackson followed, and Vincent was soon standing
beside them. Taking one end of the rope, he pulled it until the other
passed round the bar and fell at their feet. All three were barefooted,
and they stole noiselessly across the yard to the seat, which was nearly
opposite their window. Vincent had already fastened his clasp-knife to
the end of the string, and he now threw it over the wall, which was
about twenty feet high.

He had tied a knot at forty feet from the end, and, standing close to
the wall, he drew in the string until the knot was in his hand. Another
two yards, and he knew that the knife was hanging a yard from the ground
against the wall. He now drew it up and down, hoping that the slight
noise the knife made against the wall might aid Dan in finding it. In
two or three minutes he felt a jerk, and knew that Dan had got it. He
fastened the end of the string to the rope and waited. The rope was
gradually drawn up; when it neared the end he fastened it to the stone
seat.

"Now," he said, "up you go, Geary."