l nightfall. You understand me?"

The man placed his finger upon his lip--a sign of implicit
obedience--and the Circassian slaves were removed to prison.

They were doomed.

Another tragedy was planned--the sequel to that which Harry Girdwood
and young Jack had witnessed almost as soon as they were upon the
Turkish coast.

The cord and sack were once more to play their part.

And could nothing avert their fate?

Their peril was extreme--greater even than that of the English lads and
their faithful followers, Tinker and Bogey.

* * * *

"This is a pretty go," said Harry Girdwood, dolefully, as he looked
round him.

His tone was so grumpy, his look so glum, that Jack could not refrain
from laughing.

"Grumbling old sinner," said he; "you're never satisfied."

"Well, I like that," said Harry. "You get us into a precious hobble
through sheer wanton foolery, and then you expect me to like it."

"Now, don't get waxy," said Jack.

Tinker and Bogey did not understand the full extent of their danger.

They sat at the further end of the same chamber, grinning at their
masters, and, if the truth be told, rather enjoying the dilemma which
they were honoured by sharing with them.

Their masters would be sure to pull them all through safely.

Such was their idea.

As soon as they had been left alone in their prison, the boys had made
a survey, and Jack pronounced his opinion, and his determination with
the old air of confidence in himself.

"They're treating us with something like contempt, Harry," he said.

"How so?"

"By not guarding us better than this," was the reply.

"I don't quite see that, Jack; the door would take us all our time to
get through."

"Perhaps," returned Jack, "but look at the window, and just tell me
what you think of that?"

The window, or perhaps we had better have said hole in the wall--for
glass or lattice there was none--overlooked the sea.

They were in the part of the Konaki known as the water pavilion.

There was a drop of thirty feet to the water.

Thirty feet.

Just think what thirty feet is.

About the height of a two-story dwelling house.

"Supposing we get through there," said Harry Girdwood, "we should never
be able to swim all the way out to a friendly ship.

"My dear old wet blanket," returned Jack, "I got you into this mess,
and I'll get you out of it."

"I hope so."

They watched anxiously for a friendly sh