The matter was discussed for several minutes with the girls, and all decided that they had better do what they could to secure their freedom without delay. Dave brought down one of the boards from the flooring above, and setting the bench up endways placed one end of the board upon it, thus making a sort of gangplank. Up this he and Roger assisted the girls, and then followed to the little garret-like enclosure above.
“Now I think I had better go down into that other room first and look around,” said our hero, and let himself down by means of the rope which he had found and which he fastened to a staple at the side of the hatchway.
Once below, Dave tiptoed his way around cautiously. There was a window to the room, and this looked out on the top of a little porch, beyond which were a number of trees. Then he went to the door and opened it cautiously. He saw a little corridor opening into that which led to the stairs. From below came a murmur of voices.
“I don’t think we can get away by going below,” he explained to the others, after they had joined him; “but that looks pretty good to me,” and he pointed out of the window to the roof of the porch and the trees so close at hand.
“Oh, that’ll be easy if they don’t catch sight of us getting down,” answered Roger quickly.
The glass of the window was gone; nevertheless, they had to raise the lower sash before any of them could get out on the roof of the porch. This was much dilapidated, and creaked as they stepped upon it.
“Oh, Dave! you don’t suppose it will break down with us?” cried Jessie.
“Jump for the trees if it starts to go,” he answered, and the words had barely left his lips when the old porch began to sag. A moment later it collapsed completely, sending all of the young people to the ground.
It was a most unexpected tumble. As they went down Dave made a grab for Jessie and did what he could to save her from getting hurt. Both landed in some bushes, and Laura and Roger came down beside them.
With the sudden collapse of the porch, there was a cry of alarm in the lower part of the bungalow, and some person, evidently one of the gypsies, set up a yell from somewhere among the trees.