The moment he entered it a smell of burning timbers greeted his nostrils.
"By Heaven! the house above is burning up, I believe!" he cried, rushing to the rope ladder and beginning to climb it rapidly.
But he had only got a few feet up when it gave way, and he fell to the ground, considerably bruised.
"The devil's to pay now!" he muttered, angrily. "A fellow will smother down here."
For a moment the young villain stood irresolute—then he approached the door of Madge Thornton's cell.
"Madge!" he called.
There was no answer.
"Madge!" he shouted, in a louder tone, at the same time rattling the door, savagely.
"Well, what do you want?" she demanded, rising from her cot.
"I want to know if you want to escape from this place alive?"