"Look ’ee, Maister Dick," he said hoarsely. "You can swear to the feller, so can I. You be goin’ to Rusco, you miserable sinner, and if so be you ever come back, I’ll swear an information against ’ee for unlawful detainin’ of one o’ the King’s lieges, and Maister Dick will kiss the Book and bear testimony. Good-bye to ’ee, and may the Lord ha’ mercy on yer soul." They let the frenzied man down through the trapdoor, and heard guffaws of laughter from the Frenchmen as they received their expected packet. The boat pulled off towards a lugger that lay a few cables’ lengths from the cliff. The prisoner was hauled up the side; the men climbed on board and hoisted the boat in; and in a few minutes the lugger disappeared into the darkness. It was not the time to enter upon explanations on either side. Penwarden was eager to follow up the tub-carriers, Dick to release Sam. When the exciseman heard of the boy’s situation, he yielded with a sigh, and considered with Dick a means of bringing Sam across the shaft. They were not long in deciding that the best plan would be to make use of the quantities of rope at hand, and form a running tackle by which the boy might be drawn over. This was soon done, and taking one of the lanterns, they hastened back to the scene. "Hoy, Maister, be that thee?" cried Sam out of the darkness when he saw the approaching light. "Yes, and Mr. Penwarden is with me. We are coming to bring you away." "Praise and glory be! I did think I’d never see daylight again. Have ’ee got a true and proper bridge?" "You’ll see. Run back to the cave and bring two staves and our guns." They waited at the brink of the shaft until Sam reappeared. "Now drive the staves into the floor," cried Dick. "I can’t. It be hard stone." "Well then, go back to the cave again and bring some of those big pieces of rock on the floor." Sam went obediently. Instructed by Dick, he arranged a number of the rocks, four or five feet deep, to form a sort of platform. "Now knot this rope to the staves," said Dick, flinging it across. "Put it behind the rocks, and pile more rocks on top to hold it down." While this was being done, he made the other end of the double rope fast to a large boulder near the head of the shaft. "Now, Sam, all you have to do is to clasp the rope and let yourself down. We will do the rest." "Be it firm and steady?" asked the boy anxiously. Dick hauled on the rope; it was held firm by the rocks. "There, you see ’tis quite safe. All you want is a little courage; it will not take half a minute to get you across." "I’ll send summat fust to prove it," said Sam. He withdrew a few paces into the passage, and returned, carrying a long, flat box. This he hitched to the rope. "Haul away, Maister Dick, and let me see wi’ my own eyes." The box was drawn to the further side in a few moments. "Now are you satisfied?" asked Dick. "Iss, fay; and I’ve some more boxes that had better go fust."