“Perhaps he was found coming here with a rope in his possession,” said Pedro; “or perhaps he was deceiving us.”
“No, I will not believe that,” I answered indignantly. “I am sure he is honest. He is an Englishman and a sailor, there is no mistaking that; and he did not look or speak like a rogue. Let us hope for the best.”
Just as I made this observation, we heard what sounded like the mew of a kitten, just under the window. We instantly jumped up, and I let down our line. I felt it gently tugged.
“Haul up,” said a voice; and as we got to the end, we found a rope sufficiently strong to bear a man’s weight attached to the end.
“Fasten that to a strong bar; and look out not to make a lubber’s knot,” added the voice.
We did as we were bid; and soon after a strong tug had been given to the rope, a man’s head and shoulders appeared at the window. He looked in to discover who was in the room.
“All friends here?” he asked.
“Yes, to a friend in need,” I replied.
“All right then,” he said; and, apparently satisfied, he climbed up farther, and sat himself down securely on the window-ledge. “Now my lads, you’d like to get out of this, I suppose,” he said, in a careless tone, which showed that he was in no way agitated by the risk he was running. “Well, there isn’t a moment to be lost; and so I’ve brought three files, that we may all work away at the bars together.”
Pedro and I took the files he offered us, and waited till he had examined the bars.