"Perhaps not," said Phaeton.
"Then, what must we do?" said Ned.
"Do the best we can."
"The question is, what is best?" said Ned. "It is evident we ought to go out of the window, but it's too high from the ground."
"Then we must make a rope," said Phaeton.
"What can we make it of?"
"The bedclothes, of course."
"That's a splendid idea!—that saves us," said Ned, and he set about tying the sheets together.
Before Phaeton was dressed, Ned had made the rope and cast it out of the window, first tying one end to the bedpost, and sliding down to the ground, made off, without waiting for his brother.
He came straight to my ladder, and had his foot on the first rung, when a heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder.