"Never mind!" said the officer. "It was our business to find out, and we found out." "I know well enough who blabbed," growled Jack. "Curse him! I'd like to strangle him." "I don't know whom you suspect, my man," said the officer; "but I think it'll be some time before you'll have a chance to carry out your benevolent purpose." "Perhaps it will," returned Jack; "but Marlowe ain't took yet. He'll attend to the business for both of us;" and there wis a look of malignant joy on his face as he thought of the sure retribution that would overtake Julius. CHAPTER XVIII. THE VALUE OF A CLOTHES-LINE. When Julius found himself alone and understood that his companions had actually started on their illegal expedition, he felt that there was pressing need of action. He must escape by some means. While the prospect was that they would be captured, and so prevented from returning, on the other hand, one or both might escape, and in that case he knew enough of their savage and brutal character to realize that he would be in the greatest danger. He rose from his bed, and began to devise ways and means of escape. The first and most obvious outlet, of course, was the door. But this was locked, and the key was in Marlowe's possession. Then there was the solitary window. It was on the third floor, and looked out into a court. It was too high to jump from, and the only other way was by a rope, but there was no rope in the room. Had there been a bedstead of the right kind, the bedcord would have served his purpose, but there was no bedstead at all. With a democratic contempt for such a luxury, all three slept on the floor. The prospect was not encouraging. "I wonder if I could hang out of the window?" thought Julius. He looked out, and decided that he would run the risk of breaking a limb if he attempted it. So that plan had to be given up. Julius sat down and reflected. It occurred to him that perhaps Mrs. O'Connor's key (she roomed just beneath) would open the door. At any rate it was worth trying. He stamped on the floor with such force that, as he expected, it attracted the attention of those beneath. Listening intently, he heard the woman ascending the staircase. He began to jump up and down with renewed vigor. "What's the matter wid ye?" called Mrs. O'Connor through the keyhole. "Are you drunk?" "I'm sick," returned Julius. "Is it the jumpin' toothache ye have?" asked the Irish woman. "I'm awful sick. I don't know what it is." "Open the door, and I'll come in." "I can't. The door's locked, and Jack has gone away." Here Julius began to groan again. "Poor bye!" said the compassionate woman. "What will I do for ye?" "Try the door with your key. Perhaps it will open it." "I'll do that same." She drew out a key, and tried to put it in the lock, but to no purpose. It would not fit. "I can't open it," she said. This was a severe disappointment to Julius, who saw his chances of success fade away one by one.