the attention of the sentries, though I doubt whether it would, for the
wind is high and the rain falling fast. Unbuckle the strap before you
move the bar, as otherwise it might fall and I should have difficulty in
handing it to you again. Now, I am steady against the wall."

Ralph seized the bar and with a great effort pushed the bottom from him.
It moved through the groove without much difficulty, but it needed a
great wrench to free the upper end. However, it was done, and laying
it quietly down he pulled himself up and thrust himself through the
loophole. It was a desperate struggle to get through, for it was only
just wide enough for his head to pass, and he was so squarely built that
his body with difficulty followed. The wall was four feet wide, and as
the loophole widened considerably without, there was, when he had once
passed through from the inside, space enough for him to kneel down and
lower one end of the strap to Walter. The latter speedily climbed up,
and getting through the slit with much less trouble than Ralph had
experienced--for although in height and width of shoulder he was his
equal, he was less in depth than his follower--he joined him in the
opening; Ralph sitting with his feet in the water in order to make room
for him.

The dungeon was upon the western side of the castle, and consequently
the stream would be with them in making for shore. It was pitch dark,
but they knew that the distance they would have to swim could not exceed
forty or fifty yards.

"Keep along close by the wall, Ralph, if we once get out in the stream
we might lose our way; we will skirt the wall until it ends, then there
is a cut, for as you saw when we entered, the moat runs right across
this neck. If we keep a bit farther down and then land, we shall be
fairly beyond the outworks."

Ralph slipped down into the water, and followed by Walter swam along at
the foot of the wall. They had already been deprived of their armour,
but had luckily contrived to retain their daggers in their belts, which
they had again girdled on before entering the water. The stream hurried
them rapidly along, and they had only to keep themselves afloat. They
were soon at the corner of the castle. A few strokes farther and they
again felt the wall which lined the moat. The stream still swept them
along, they felt the masonry come to an end, and bushes and shrubs lined
the bank. They were beyond the outer defences of the castle. Still a
little