The conspirators did not, however, bring their scheme that night to any
ultimate decision. The next day Augustus, Paul, and some others of the
company were set to work in the garden; and Paul then observed that his
friend, wheeling a barrow close by the spot where the watchman stood,
overturned its contents. The watchman was good-natured enough to assist
him in refilling the barrow; and Tomlinson profited so well by the
occasion that that night he informed Paul that they would have nothing to
dread from the watchman's vigilance. "He has promised," said Augustus,
"for certain consi-de-ra-tions, to allow me to knock him down; he has
also promised to be so much hurt as not to be able to move until we are
over the wall. Our main difficulty now, then, is the first step,--
namely, to climb the pipe unperceived!"

"As to that," said Paul, who developed, through the whole of the scheme,
organs of sagacity, boldness, and invention which charmed his friend, and
certainly promised well for his future career,--"as to that, I think we
may manage the first ascent with less danger than you imagine. The
mornings of late have been very foggy; they are almost dark at the hour
we go to chapel. Let you and I close the file: the pipe passes just
above the door; our hands, as we have tried, can reach it; and a spring
of no great agility will enable us to raise ourselves up to a footing on
the pipe and the skirting-board.

"The climbing then is easy; and what with the dense fog and our own
quickness, I think we shall have little difficulty in gaining the garden.
The only precautions we need use are, to wait for a very dark morning,
and to be sure that we are the last of the file, so that no one behind
may give the alarm--"