down on Lionel through his spectacles. "Dangerous," he said
whisperingly; "but one gets used to everything! If you feel afraid,
don't venture!"

Lionel, animated by that doubt of his courage, sprang up the plank,
balancing himself schoolboy fashion, with outstretched arms, and gained
the side of his guide.

"Don't touch me!" exclaimed Mr. Fairthorn, shrinking, "or we shall both
be over. Now observe and imitate." Dropping himself, then, carefully
and gradually, till he dropped on the timber joist as if it were a
velocipede, his long legs dangling down, he with thigh and hand impelled
himself onward till he gained the ridge of a wall, on which he delivered
his person, and wiped his spectacles.

Lionel was not long before he stood in the same place. "Here we are,"
said Fairthorn.

"I don't see the collection," answered Lionel, first peering down athwart
the joists upon the rugged ground overspread with stones and rubbish,
then glancing up through similar interstices above to the gaunt rafters.

"Here are some,--most precious," answered Fairthorn, tapping behind him.
"Walled up, except where these boards, cased in iron, are nailed across,
with a little door just big enough to creep through; but that is locked,
--Chubb's lock, and Mr. Darrell keeps the key!--treasures for a palace!
No, you can't peep through here--not a chink; but come on a little
further,--mind your footing."

Skirting the wall, and still on the perilous ridge, Fairthorn crept on,