rk?"

"Oh, yes, of course he can," cried Waller. "I will help him."

"The sooner the better, then, sir," whispered the man, and, busying
himself with the knots in a great cotton handkerchief, he soon shook out
a big, broad, canvas petticoat, such as the fishers use, sewed right up
the middle so as to give it the semblance of a clumsy pair of trousers.

Godfrey winced a little as he handled the stiff garment; but it was for
liberty, and he soon had the canvas buttoned on.

"You had better take off that jacket, sir. I can't see it, but I can
feel as it don't look a bit like a fisher-boy's things. That's your
sort! Now then, Master Waller, pull that there jersey over his head.
That's the way. There, now, he feels like a regular sailor-lad. Here's
a sou'-wester, too. It's rather an old un, but none the worse for that.
There you are. Now then, I have got a bit of a pot here. You hold
your hands, and I'll fish out a dob of it with my knife. Then you give
it a good rub round with your hands so as to go all over them, and then
you can gorm them well over your face. Don't be afraid of it, sir.
It'll make you look every bit a sailor, and won't wash off in a month."

Godfrey drew in his breath with a hiss.

"Why, what is it, Bunny?" said Waller.

"Real good pitch, sir, same as they pays over the bottoms of their
boats."

"Oh, but surely that isn't necessary," cried Waller angrily.

"He's right," said Godfrey, as he began to rub the sticky brown produce
of the fir well over his hands and face. "It's the best disguise I
could assume."

"Hist!" said Waller. "Didn't I hear something?"

Bunny turned to the window, looked out cautiously, and drew in his head
again.

"They've come," he whispered. "Now sir, can't you get us down to the
back door, so that we can slip away at once?"

"No," said Waller excitedly. "We should have to cross the hall, and
they'd be there."

"I'm all right," said Bunny. "I can slip down easier than I got up.
What about this here young gentleman? He won't find it so easy with
that there canvas on."

"No," cried Waller. "He couldn't get down. I don't believe I could.
What in the world are we to do?"

"Ar'n't got a bit of rope, I suppose, sir?" whispered Bunny.

"Yes, of course. I'd forgotten."

"Strong un?"

"The new one I got for the fishing-net," said Waller.

"That'll do it. Now then, let me look out while you get it. You make
it fast to the big window-bar while I