He had brought a small ladder from the housemaid's closet, with which he mounted as far as he could go inside the wide old chimney. When he came down, he looked pale and excited. "Celia, we must get him out of the house. If either Wallace or my father should think of returning to see the cause of Veny's growling, he will infallibly be discovered. The chimneys join, and every sound from one room can be heard in the other. Venus is wiser than we are. The dog knew, though I did not, that there was a shorter passage to the concealed chamber from Bell's chamber than from yours." "What shall we do?" whispered Celia. "Go down-stairs, and fetch from the buttery such provisions as you can take to Sir Edward, of any portable kind. Converse with him if you will, but let it be in the lowest tones; and if you hear any noise in this chamber be as mute as mice. I will go down and set my father and Wallace at some game, and get my mother to prepare Henrietta's chamber for him, as it is too late for him to think of leaving to-night now. Then I shall go and have a horse ready saddled as near as is safe. When the clock strikes nine, lead Sir Edward down to the well door. You cannot miss it, if only you keep going down. I will meet you with a lantern at the well, at nine or as soon after as possible." "Is the well low enough, with all this rain?" "Water up to the ankles, but he will not care for that." Harry and Celia left the room softly, departing on their several errands. "Wallace," said the former, coming into the parlor, "do you think it is necessary to keep your men on guard outside? 'Tis a bitter cold night, and if they may come into the kitchen, the poor fellows would be none the worse for a hot supper." "I do not think it is necessary," said the Captain. Captain Wallace having called the men in, Harry took them to the kitchen, and desired Molly the cook-maid to give them as good a supper as she could, with hot ale, for which Robert was despatched to the cellar. This done, Harry went up-stairs to his own room. Silently opening his window--which, fortunately for his project, was at the north-east corner of the house, away from both parlor and kitchen--he climbed down the lime-tree which stood close beside it, and took his way noiselessly to the stable. Meanwhile Celia, who had concealed in her pocket and by means of the dressing-gown over her arm, two standing pies, came back to her own room, and descended to the concealed chamber. "See what I have brought you!" she said to the fugitive. "The troops are here, and have searched the house twice, and Harry thinks that we must get you away to-night. He will have a horse ready for you, and will meet you at the well at nine o'clock. Do you mind going through a foot of water?"