and bankers and that sort of
thing, while all the small shops seem to have either French, Italian, or
Greek names over the door. Well, if it is going on like this, we can
afford to wait for a bit."

"Look here, Arthur," Jack said, "I will stand under that opening, and
you get on my shoulders and look out. I don't suppose you will see much,
but one likes to know where one is and which way one is looking. We know
we are somewhere on the high ground beside the town. We must be looking
somewhere north-east by the way that gleam of sunlight comes in. Very
likely you can get a glimpse of the sea." Jack placed himself against
the wall, and Jim helped Arthur on to his shoulders.

"Yes, I can see the sea," Arthur said as soon as his head reached the
level of the loop-hole. "I can see the outer harbour, and several ships
lying there and boats rowing about."

"Well, that is something anyhow," Jim said as Arthur leapt down again.
"We shall be able to see any men-of-war that come in, and form some idea
as to what is going on. How thick is the wall?" Jim went on.

"I should say quite a couple of feet thick. I could only see a small
patch of the water through it."

"Then I am afraid there is no chance of our working our way out," Jim
said. "The only way of escape I can see would be to spring on those two
fellows who bring our food. We are stronger than they are, I am sure,
and we might master them."

"I don't expect we could do it without noise," Jack said. "Besides, they
have got pistols, and we certainly could not master them without their
being able to shout. We might manage one easy enough, if one sprang on
him and held his arms and prevented him getting his pistol, and another
clapped his hands over his mouth; but the three of us could not manage
two silently. Besides, I should not like to hurt them after their
bringing us that water to wash in."

"No; we certainly couldn't do that," the other boys agreed.

"Besides," Jack went on, "we do not know where this staircase leads. But
no doubt it goes up into the house, and when we got to the top someone
would see us at once; and even if we broke through there would be such a
chase we should never get away, and anyhow could not pass through the
town down to the port and steal a boat. No, Jim, I don't think it is the
least use in the world trying to escape that way. If we could dig
through the wall and make our way out at night, and get quietly down
among the sand-hills by the