Taking the grapnel, to which the other rope was attached, he got
out on to the sill. It was not an easy task to climb up on to the
ridge of the dormer window, and it needed all his strength and
activity to accomplish the feat. Once astride of the ridge the rest
was easy. At the first cast he threw the grapnel so that it caught
securely on the top of the roof. After testing it with two or three
pulls he clambered up, leaving the lower end of the rope hanging
by the side of the window. As soon as he had gained this position
Geoffrey, who was to follow him, prepared to start.

According to the instructions Browne had given him he fastened
the end of the rope which was round Browne's body under his own
shoulders, then leaning over and taking a firm hold of the rope to
which the grapnel was attached, he let himself out of the window.
Browne hauled from above at the rope round his body, and he pulled
himself with his hands by that attached to the grapnel, and presently
reached the top.

"I am glad you came first, Roger," he said. "I do not think I could
have ever pulled myself up if you had not assisted me."

He unfastened the rope, and the end was thrown down to the window,
and Job Tredgold, the other man, fastened it round him and was
hauled up as Geoffrey had been.

"We will move along now to that stack of chimneys coming through
the roof four feet below the ridge on the town side," Geoffrey
said. "We can stand down there out of sight of the Spaniards. We
shall be sure to attract attention sitting up here, and might have
some bullets flying round our ears, besides which this fellow's