"If it were known that the Emir's English prisoners had escaped," he said, "the fiends up yonder would be making more noise than the surf that breaks on the rocks at Bab el Mandeb." The ropes had at one end a rude iron hook, and, taking one of them, Canaris threw it over the wall, retaining the other end in his hand. He pulled it in a yard or two, and then the rope became suddenly taut. The hook was secure. He took a sharp glance around him, measured with his ear the hoarse shouts that still rose from the slave market, and then went nimbly up the rope, hand over hand. He reached the top in safety. "Now fasten the stuff on," he whispered down; "put the other ropes in the bag." Guy obeyed instructions, and Canaris rapidly drew the string up. He then speedily hooked a second rope to the wall and dropped it down. "Fasten Forbes to one rope, and come up the other yourself," he called out to Chutney. Here a difficulty arose. Melton was, of course, unable to climb the rope, and if a noose were slipped under his arms the wound would be torn and lacerated by the strain. "It's no use, Chutney," he said. "I foresaw this. You must get off without me." Guy was in despair. He was just on the point of bidding Canaris make his escape alone, when a happy thought struck him. "I have it, Melton," he cried joyfully. "Have you much power in your arms?" "Yes," said Melton, "but not enough to go up that rope." "That's all right. I don't want you to go up the rope," returned Guy. "Here, put your feet together and stand straight." Hastily noosing the rope, he drew the knot tightly about Melton's legs just above the knee. "You take a good grip with your hands," he added. "There won't be much strain on your wound and we'll have you on the top in a jiffy." Melton obeyed instructions, and Guy pulled himself speedily to the top. "Crouch down," said Canaris; "don't you see that watch-tower?" and he pointed to a dim mass rising from the wall some distance off. "That is the nearest tower," he added. "I hardly think they can see us, but it is better to take precautions." The other two ropes were already dangling on the outer side of the wall. Canaris had planned everything for an emergency. Guy took a hasty glance at the roofs and battlements spread before them on one side, the moonlit landscape on the other, and then he whispered down, "All right, Melton?" "Yes, go ahead," came the faint reply. "Quick, they are coming!" cried Canaris in sudden excitement, and as he spoke a yell went up close at hand, and three or four dark figures turned the corner of the nearest slave-prison. A big Somali was in the lead, and, spying Melton, he raised his spear. "You fiend!" cried Guy, and, lifting a loose stone from the wall, he hurled it down. It struck the spear from the rascal's hand, and, before he could recover himself, Guy and Canaris had dragged Melton to the top of the wall by a prodigious effort.