Meantime he began to think of what course he should pursue when he was free, and it seemed that all he could do would be to strike inland at once, for that would be the safest plan. If he tried to reach the coast the chances were that he would encounter one of the gang, or at all events some cottager who would most probably be in their pay.
“The half-hour must be up now,” he exclaimed; and, after listening at the door, he thrust the cutlass in his belt, and made for the hole formed by the raised flag.
“I wonder how far it is down?” he muttered. “Seven feet at the outside; and if I lower myself gently I shall be able to touch the floor, or perhaps I shall come down on some barrel or package.”
As he spoke he lowered himself gently down, with a hand on either side of the aperture, and then, swinging his legs about, one of them kicked the side, showing that the cellar or vault was a little smaller in dimensions than the place above.
He lowered himself a little more, and a little more, his sea life having made the muscles of his arms as tough almost as iron, and at last, having a good hold of the stones on either side, he let himself steadily go down till his head was beneath the floor and he hung down at the full length of his hands.
“Deeper down than I thought for,” he muttered, as he swung himself to and fro. “Shall I drop, or sha’n’t I? It can’t be above a foot; but somehow one don’t like to let go of a certainty, to drop no one can tell where—perhaps on to bottles, or no one knows what.”
He still swung in hesitation, for it seemed cowardly to go back, now he was so far down; but somehow the desire to be upon the safe side obtained the mastery, and he determined to go back.
Easier settled upon than done. His muscles were tough enough, but somehow his position was awkward, and his hold upon the stones so slight that, though he drew himself up twice, he did not get well above the opening till he managed to force one toe into the niche between a couple of the stones of the wall, when, by a sharp effort, he drew himself so far out of the hole that he was able to seat himself upon the edge, with his legs dangling down.
“What a lot of trouble I am taking!” he said, laughing lightly, though at the same time he felt discomposed. “I might just as well have dropped, but as I am up here again I may as well take soundings.”
His plan of taking soundings was to fish out his ball of worsted, and, after a moment’s thought, to tie it to the handle of the brown water-jug, and this he lowered softly down the hole.