o up the passage and see if I can make out
anything about Eben!"

Before he had finished speaking he became aware of how terribly the poor
fellow had been shaken by his confinement. For the lad caught him
spasmodically by the arm with both hands.

"No, no," he panted. "Don't leave me--pray don't leave me."

"Very well, then, I'll stay," said Aleck; "but I do hope the poor fellow
will not be caught by the cutter's men."

Aleck felt sorry as soon as he had said these words, for his companion
gave another start.

"You feel that he won't come back?"

"I feel," said Aleck, quietly, "that we seem to be wasting time. Have
you got a knife?"

"Yes, of course."

"So have I. Well, mine has a small blade; has yours?"

"Yes. Why?"

"One small blade would not be strong enough, but if two were thrust into
the back of those irons together we might be able to open them. I
believe all these fetters are opened by a square key, and I'm going to
try."

"Ah, yes; do."

"Once get you free, we could pass the time climbing up the natural
staircase, and get a look out from the top at the fresh green trees and
clear sky."

Aleck's attempt to take his companion's attention was successful,
inasmuch as after the production of the knives, and the changing the
position of the opened lanthorn so that the dim light should do its best
in illuminating the rusty anklet and chain, the midshipman began to take
some feeble interest in the proceedings.

Aleck knew as much about handcuffs and fetters as he did about the
binomial theorem, but he was one of those lads who are always ready to
"have a try" at anything, and, after examining the square deeply-set
holes which secured the anklets, he placed the two pen-blades of the
knives together, forced them in as far as they would go, and tried to
turn them.

The first effort resulted in a sharp clicking sound.

"There goes the edge of one blade," said the lad, coolly. "I hope it's
your knife, and not mine. Hullo! Hooray! It turns!"

For the blades held fast, jammed as they were into the angles of the
orifice, and the operator was able to turn the knives half way, and then
all the way round.

"Now try," said the midshipman, beginning to take deep interest in the
attempt.

"I have," said Aleck, gloomily; "the blades turn the inside, but the
thing's as fast as ever."

"But you are not doing it right," said the middy.

"I suppose not; you try."

"No, no; go on. But you haven'