their hands were bound doon to the foot o' the forms, an' burnin'
matches were putt atween every finger, an' the sodgers blew on them to
keep them alight. The governor, ye see, had ordered this to gang on
withoot stoppin' for three oors! Some o' the puir fallows were deid
afore the end o' that time, an' I'm thinkin' the survivors'll be
crippled for life."

While listening to the horrible tale Andrew Black resolved on an attempt
to escape that very night.

"Wull ye gang wi' me?" he asked of the only comrade whom he thought
capable of making the venture; but the comrade shook his head. "Na," he
said, "I'll no' try. They've starved me to that extent that I've nae
strength left. I grow dizzy at the vera thoucht. But d'ye think the
wundy's big enough to let ye through?"

"Oo ay," returned Black with a faint smile. "I was ower stoot for't
ance, but it's an ill wund that blaws nae guid. Stervation has made me
thin enough noo."

That night, when all--even the harassed prisoners--in Dunnottar Castle
were asleep, except the sentinels, the desperate man forced himself with
difficulty through the very small window of the dungeon. It was
unbarred, because, opening out on the face of an almost sheer precipice,
it was thought that nothing without wings could escape from it. Black,
however, had been accustomed to precipices from boyhood. He had
observed a narrow ledge just under the window, and hoped that it might
lead to something. Just below it he could see another and narrower
ledge. What was beyond that he knew not--and did not much care!

Once outside, with his breast pressed against the wall of rock, he
passed along pretty quickly, considering that he could not see more than
a few yards before him. But presently he came to the end of the ledge,
and by no stretching out of foot or hand could he find another
projection of any kind. He had now to face the great danger of sliding
down to the lower ledge, and his heart beat audibly against his ribs as
he gazed into the profound darkness below. Indecision was no part of
Andrew Black's character. Breathing a silent prayer for help and
deliverance, he sat down on the ledge with his feet overhanging the
abyss. For one moment he reconsidered his position. Behind him were
torture, starvation, prolonged misery, and almost certain death. Below
was perhaps instantaneous death, or possible escape.

He pushed off, again commending his soul to God, and slid down. For