father, or try to send him a message. At last, I got desperate, and
ran upstairs to that room next mine, and closed and locked the door
after me. You know the ivy grows high up the wall there, and
directly I got in, I threw open the casement and climbed down by
it. It gave way two or three times, and I thought I was gone, but I
stuck to it, and managed each time to get a fresh hold. The moment
I was down, I ran along by the foot of the wall until I got round
behind, made a dash into that clump of fir trees, crawled along in
a ditch till I thought I was safe, and then made a run for it. I
was so afraid of being followed that I have been at least three
miles round, but I don't mind, now that my father hasn't arrived. I
was in such a fright that he might come and go before I got here."



Chapter 3: A Rescue.


The two lads walked slowly down the hill together. Harry had heard
no more than Charlie had done, of what was going on. The messenger
from his father was a young fellow, of seventeen or eighteen, with
a gipsy face and appearance. How he had managed to elude the
vigilance of the men on watch, Harry did not know. He, himself, had
only learnt his presence when, as he passed some bushes in the
garden, a sharp whisper made him stop, and a moment later a hand
was thrust through the foliage. He took the little note held out,
and caught sight of the lad's face, through the leaves, as he leant
forward and said:

"Go on, sir, without stopping. They may be watching you."