e is no other
issue."

For a moment, the father and son looked in dismay at each other; but
Agricola instantly resumed: "The gate has perhaps shut of itself. I will
make haste to assure myself of this, and to open it again if possible."

"Go quickly; I will examine the windows."

Agricola flew towards the gate, whilst Dagobert, gliding along the wall,
soon reached the windows on the ground floor. They were four in number,
and two of them were not grated. He looked up at the first story; it was
not very far from the ground, and none of the windows had bars. It would
then be easy for that one of the two sisters, who inhabited this story,
once informed of their presence, to let herself down by means of a sheet,
as the orphans had already done to escape from the inn of the White
Falcon. But the difficult thing was to know which room she occupied.
Dagobert thought they might learn this from the sister on the ground
floor; but then there was another difficulty--at which of the four
windows should they knock?

Agricola returned precipitately. "It was the wind, no doubt, which shut
the gate," said he. "I have opened it again, and made it fast with a
stone. But we have no time to lose."

"And how shall we know the windows of the poor children?" said Dagobert,
anxiously.

"That is true," said Agricola, with uneasiness. "What is to be done?"

"To call them at hap-hazard," continued Dagobert, "would be to give the
alarm."

"Oh, heavens!" cried Agricola, with increasing anguish. "To have arrived
here, under their windows, and yet not to know!"

"Time presses," said Dagobert, hastily, interrupting his son; "we must
run all risks."

"But how, father?"

"I will call out loud, 'Rose and Blanche'--in their state of despair, I
am sure they do not sleep. They will be stirring at my first summons. By
means of a sheet, fastened to the window, she who is on the first story
will in five minutes be in our arms. As for the one on the ground
floor--if her window is not grated, we can have her in a second. If it
is, we shall soon loosen one of the bars."

"But, father--this calling out aloud?"

"Will not perhaps be heard."

"But if it is heard--all will be lost."

"Who knows? Before they have time to call the watch, and open several
doors, the children may be delivered. Once at the entrance of the
boulevard, and we shall be safe."

"It is a dangerous course; but I see no other."

"If there are only two men, I and Spoil-sport