The man's back was toward him. The lad raised the heavy ring, but he
did not strike.

"Here, jailer," he said; "you've dropped your keys."

The jailer looked around. Hal hoped he would spring forward, that he
might have an excuse for striking, but the man only said simply:

"You know what to do with them."

He turned his back again. For a moment Hal hesitated.

"Well," he said finally, "if it has to be done, the sooner the better."

He raised the heavy bunch of keys aloft again, and brought it down on
the jailer's head. The man dropped to the floor and lay still. Hal
threw the keys down beside him.

"Hope I didn't hurt him too much," he muttered. He turned to the
others. "Now," he said, "shall we eat of this food or shall we leave
at once?"

"Let's get out of here," said Stubbs. "We can eat any time. Something
may turn up to defeat our plan."

But nothing did.

Hal led the way from the cell and along a long corridor. At the end
were steps, which the friends mounted quietly. At the top they found