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A few minutes later he heard voices, and going beneath the window, and raising himself up till his ear was level with the ledge, he could hear all that was said, and he knew that the men were searching for the sword. "Don't seem to be about here," said one of the men. "Look well," Hilary heard Allstone say. "That's just what we are doing. Think he did throw it over?"
Hilary could not catch the end of what was said, but he suspected what was meant, as he heard Sir Henry utter a sharp exclamation full of anger. "Leave it till to-morrow, and I think I can bring him to our wishes." "That is what you said last time, Sir Henry," replied the skipper insolently. "Here, Allstone, give me the key and I'll soon bring the springald to reason."
The ascending steps were heard plainly enough, and the light reappeared, shining feebly beneath the door; and, going softly across, Hilary looked through the great keyhole, and could see the ill-looking man Allstone with a candle in one hand and a little keg that might have contained gunpowder or spirit upon his shoulder. "Here," he whispered to his companion, "lay hold while I lock up."
As he expected, towards evening Allstone came again, not to bring more food, but to glance sharply round at the place and carefully scrutinise his prisoner as if looking for the missing sword.
He took another step forward and gazed so fiercely in the man's eyes, that, great as was the disparity in their ages and strength, Allstone shrank back step by step until he reached the doorway, when, if not afraid of Hilary, he was certainly so much taken aback by the young man's manner that he was thoroughly cowed for the moment, and shrank away, slipping through the door and banging it after him, leaving the prisoner to his meditations.
That word set him thinking, and without more ado he proceeded to cut up the sheets, knot together some of the strips, and then to lay them up, sailor fashion, into a serviceable linen rope, for the sheets were coarse and strong. This he did with his ears attent to the coming of footsteps, and a place ready in the bed to throw his work and cover it over should Allstone or Sir Henry be at hand.
Allstone, who had been seized with a fit of coughing and choking from the effects of the blinding, pungent smoke, did not speak for a few moments, during which the smoke went on getting thinner and thinner, though, as the men had no lights, everything was still very obscure. "Oh, you're up there, are you?" cried Allstone at last. "Come down, sir; do you hear?"
It was not much to hear; but it was good news for Hilary, who concluded that the vessel must still be lying off the coast, and in the smugglers' way. At last, however, the conversation ended, and Hilary saw Sir Henry leave the place just as Allstone came in.
"Curse him and his fine airs!" Hilary heard the skipper say, hoarsely. "I shall have the young villain bringing the cutter's crew down upon us. I wish his neck was broken." "Put him in the top room, then," said Allstone; "he'll break his neck trying to get away." "Not he," said the skipper; "those middies can climb like cats. He's safe enough now, I suppose."
"If this is Sir Henry's doing," he said, "it is mean; but I'll put it down to the credit of our amiable friend Allstone. Perhaps I may be able some day to return the compliment. We shall see." At his time of life low spirits do not last long, and he was too full of his idea of escape to trouble himself now about the quality of his food.
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