Jack was surprised to find that the boy’s suspicions jumped so nearly with his own. "Look here, who’ve you told that to?" "Only you." "That’s all right. I’m going out." "So am I," was the quiet rejoinder. "I don’t think so. I’m not going to make a row opening doors. I’m going out at the window." "If you do, I will, too." "All right. Go and pull on some things and be back here in fifty-nine seconds. Sharp!" The boy hurried away. De Fronsac’s room was just below, on the ground floor. It had once been a parlor, but little used, and when the tutor begged to have it for his bedroom, Mrs. Bastable made no objection. It had French windows opening on to the lawn, and De Fronsac said it would be so convenient for him, for he could go out before the household was astir, and compose poems on the Dawn, or satiric odes to the Monstair. Arthur was back as soon as Jack had pulled on his coat, breeches, and boots. "Ever climb down a rain-pipe?" "No." "Well, you’ve got to now. I’ll go first, to be ready to pick up the pieces. Hist! What’s that?" Jack had spoken in a whisper. Now through the open window he heard a sound as of a latch falling. Going to the window he peered cautiously out from behind the curtain. For a few moments he saw nothing. It was a dark night, but the moon was rising, and he thought he detected a dark figure moving along in the shadow of the wall. The figure went furtively on until the wall ended and a fence began; then Jack lost sight of it. "You were right, Arthur," whispered Jack. "Don’t look like making up poetry, either. Come along." Looking out to make sure that the figure was no longer in sight, he slipped over the window-sill, slid down the rain-pipe with a sailor’s ease, and in a few seconds stood on the lawn. Arthur hesitated for a moment at the sill, then, plucking up his courage, he let himself over and grasped the pipe. For a few feet he managed well enough; then he lost his head and his grip together, and came down with a rush, to be caught by Jack, who staggered under his weight. "Well tried, youngster. No damage done?" "No," replied Arthur, not thinking it necessary to tell that he had two or three grazes on his wrists and legs, and that he had knocked his nose against one of the joints of the pipe.