"If I could attach the rope to that," he reflected, "I could draw myself up hand over hand till I reached the top, and then it would go hard if I didn't get out." With new hope in his heart he retraced his steps rapidly till he reached the storeroom. He knew just where to look for the rope. He examined it carefully and found it very stout and strong. He took it back with him. Then making a loop at one end he stood under the opening and threw it up as he would a lasso. He had to try a dozen times before he contrived to circle the projection with the loop. Then pulling it taut he began to climb hand over hand as he had many a time done in sport. Now his deliverance depended upon it. Slowly, foot by foot, he approached the opening, not knowing whether if he reached it he would be able to draw himself through the hole. CHAPTER XXI OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN Arrived at the opening, Ernest found that there was a trap-door, which through carelessness had been left open. It was, however, a serious problem to draw himself up so as to profit by what he had already done. Twice he failed and nearly lost his grip on the rope. Then he caught hold of the projection from which the rope depended, and by a supreme effort he succeeded, helping himself by means of the trap-door in emerging from his subterranean prison. Stretching himself he took a deep breath and realized joyfully not only that he was free, but that he had recovered the valuable bonds of which he had been placed in charge. He began to look around him and tried to conjecture in what direction he must go to reach Lee's Falls. He was quite at a loss, as he had been carried into the cave blindfolded. But help seemed to be at hand. He saw at a little distance, rapidly approaching him, a man of middle height whom he concluded to be a resident of some place in the vicinity. "Can you tell me in what direction I must go to reach Lee's Falls?" he asked. The stranger paused and examined him. "So you want to go to Lee's Falls?" he said. "Yes, sir." "Where do you come from?" "From Emmonsville." "Direct?" "No." "I saw you just now coming out of some opening in the earth." This alarmed Ernest. He felt that he might be called upon to explain where he had been. "Who is this man?" he asked himself. "Is he one who is likely to be in the confidence of the outlaws? If so I have only got out of one scrape to fall into another." He studied the face of the man with whom he was speaking and to his dismay noted a resemblance to James Fox. He began to suspect that this was his brother. Whether it was or not Ernest deemed it politic to say as little as possible of his experiences and of what he knew about the cave and its occupants. "Yes," he answered quietly; "there seems to be a cave underneath. I found the trap-door open and went down, but I regretted it, for I found it difficult to get out again."