“I hope she is not going to stop till we have done,” said Bill, “or she may take away the remainder. I’ll try and make her understand that we should like a little more by-and-by. I vote we stop now and put the things into the basket. We’ll then show her that we do not wish her to take them away.”
The kind old housekeeper of the chateau—for such she was—seemed to understand the boys’ wishes. Bill even ventured to say a few words in French, which would show her what they wanted; and at last, wishing them good-night, she took her departure.
They heard the door locked and bolted after she went out, as if by some other person; and it made them fear that a sentry was placed there, who might, should they make any noise, look in to see what they were about. It would be necessary, therefore, to be extremely cautious as to their proceedings.
“There’s no one moving,” said Bill, who had crept to the door to listen. He, of course, spoke in a low whisper. “I vote we set to work at once and make our rope. It will take some time, and we ought to be off as soon as the people have turned in, as we must try to get a good distance from the shore before daylight.”
“Suppose any one was to come, and find us cutting up our bed-clothes,” said Jack, “it would be suspected what we were going to do.”
“We’ll keep the coverlid till the last, so as to throw it over the bed should we hear a step on the stair; we must then sit down on the edge, and pretend that we are too sorrowful to think of going to bed,” said Bill.
“That will do,” replied Jack; “I never was a good hand at piping my eye, but I know that I should be inclined to blubber if I thought there was a chance of being found out.”
“There’s no use talking about that. We must run the risk,” observed Bill; “so here goes.” And he forthwith turned back the coverlid, and began measuring the sheets. They were of strong and tough material, and by dividing each into four lengths, he calculated that a rope formed of them would be of sufficient strength for their purpose, and they were quickly cut through with their knives, and each length was then twisted tightly up.
The bed-ticking was treated in the same manner; but that being of less strength, gave them only six much shorter lengths. The sacking and rope at the bottom of the bed would, Bill was sure, reach, at all events, to a short distance from the ground.
As they twisted and bent one piece to another, they surveyed their work with satisfaction, and were convinced that it would bear their weight, though it would hardly have borne that of a man of moderate size. To try it, they tugged away against each other, and it held perfectly firm.