“Come down,” was whispered from below, and to Hilary’s great delight he heard the man on the watch go softly below.
Now was Hilary’s opportunity, and gliding softly from behind the door, he stepped out into the stone passage, and saw before him a faint light shining under the bottom of the door which the men had evidently closed when they left the kitchen.
He might have locked the two fellows in the vault, but that would have caused needless noise, and perhaps hindered his escape, so without further hesitation he stepped lightly along the passage, and softly pressed against the farther door.
It yielded easily, and he found himself looking into a great low-ceiled kitchen, whose ancient black rafters shone in the glow from a huge fireplace, upon whose hearth the remains of a large fire flickered and sent forth a few dying sparks.
Around it, and stretched in a variety of postures upon the floor, were some eight or ten men fast asleep; and what took Hilary’s attention more than all was another door at the far corner, which it was now his aim to reach.
But to do this he would have to step over two of the men, and there was the possibility that, though they all seemed to be asleep, one or more might be awake and watchful.
It needed no little firmness to make the attempt; but if he were to escape, he knew it must be done.
“If they wake they will only take me back,” thought Hilary, “so I may as well try.”
He hesitated no longer, but stepping on tiptoe he passed on between two of the sleeping men, and was in the act of stepping over another, when a gruff voice from a corner exclaimed:—
“Why don’t you lie down. You’ll be glad of a nap by and by.”