burst it open--seized the sword as it lay within reach on the chair,
where Jonson had placed it, and feeling, at the touch of the familiar
weapon, as if the might of ten men had been transferred to my single arm,
I bounded down the stairs before me--passed the door at the bottom, which
Dawson had fortunately left open--flung it back almost upon the face of
my advancing enemies, and found myself in the long passage which led to
the street-door, in safety, but in the thickest darkness. A light flashed
from a door to the left; the door was that of the "Common Room" which we
had first entered; it opened, and Spider-shanks, with one of his
comrades, looked forth; the former holding a light. I darted by them,
and, guided by their lamp, fled along the passage, and reached the door.
Imagine my dismay! when, either through accident, or by the desire of my
fugitive companions to impede pursuit, I found it unexpectedly closed.

The two villains had now come up to me, close at their heels were two
more, probably my pursuers, from the upper apartments. Providentially the
passage was (as I before said) extremely narrow, and as long as no fire-
arms were used, nor a general rush resorted to, I had little doubt of
being able to keep the ruffians at bay, until I had hit upon the method
of springing the latch, and so winning my escape from the house.

While my left hand was employed in feeling the latch, I made such good
use of my right, as to keep my antagonists at a safe distance. The one
who was nearest to me, was Fib Fakescrew; he was armed with a weapon
exactly similar to my own. the whole passage rung with oaths and threats.
"Crash the cull--down with him--down with him, before he dubs the jigger.
Tip him the degen, Fib, fake him through and through; if he pikes, we
shall all be scragged."

Hitherto, in the confusion I had not been able to recall Job's