'Duncan, down to the boat with ye! Loosen the lug-sail halyards, and bring them up—quick, quick!'
Duncan was off like a young roe. He slid down the crags; he dashed through the larch-wood; he jumped into the boat on the beach. Presently he was making his way as quickly back again, the halyards coiled round his arm so as not to prevent his climbing.
'Nicol!' shouted Rob.
'Ay?'
'I am lowering the halyards to ye. Fasten them to the end of the rope.'
'I canna see them.'
'Grope all round till ye come to them.'
And so, in process of time, the end of the rope was hauled up, and thereafter—to the great relief of every one—and to his own, no doubt, Nicol appeared alive and well, though somewhat anxious to get away from the neighbourhood of that dungeon. He went immediately out into the warm summer air, followed by the others.
'Man, what a fright I got!' he said at last, having recovered his speech.
'Ay, and so did we,' Neil admitted.