"The moon shone bright, which was lucky for me, and I gained the
trap-door without any noise. I had some difficulty in forcing it up, as
it was heavy for a boy of my age; but I contrived to do so at last, and
gained the roof of the house. I then began looking about me, to see how
I was to get to the ground, and after walking to and fro several times,
I decided that I could slip down by a large water-pipe; it was so far
detached from the bricks, that I could get my small fingers round it. I
climbed over the parapet, and, clinging to the pipe firmly with my
hands and knees, I slid down, and arrived at the bottom in safety."
"It's a wonder you did not break your neck, Ready," observed Mrs.
Seagrave.
"It was, indeed, ma'am. As soon as I was landed in the flowerbed, which
was below, I hastened to the iron gates at the entrance, and soon
climbed up and got to the other side into the road. I started as fast
as I could towards the port, and when I arrived at the wharf, I
perceived that a vessel had her topsails loose, and meant to take
advantage of the ebb-tide which had just made; the men were singing `Yo
heave yo', getting the anchor up; and as I stood watching, almost
making up my mind that I would swim off to her, I perceived that a man
pushed off in her jolly-boat, and was sculling to a post a little
higher up, where a hawser had been made fast; I ran round, and arrived
there before he had cast off the rope; without saying a word, I jumped
into the boat.
Pages:
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198