He stooped as he spoke, and gently lifting Otto from his rude
and rugged bed he drew his broad leathern belt around them both,
buckling it firmly and securely. "It does not hurt thee?" said
he.

"Not much," whispered Otto faintly.

Then Hans spat upon his hands, and began slowly climbing the
rope.

They reached the edge of the window and there they rested for a
moment, and Otto renewed his hold around the neck of the
faithful Hans.

"And now art thou ready?" said Hans

"Aye," said Otto.

"Then courage," said Hans, and he turned and swung his leg over
the abyss below.

The next moment they were hanging in mid-air.

Otto looked down and gave a gasp. "The mother of heaven bless
us," he whispered, and then closed his eyes, faint and dizzy at
the sight of that sheer depth beneath. Hans said nothing, but
shutting his teeth and wrapping his legs around the rope, he
began slowly descending, hand under hand. Down, down, down he
went, until to Otto, with his eyes shut and his head leaning
upon Hans' shoulder, it seemed as though it could never end.