The men, in obedience to these orders, escorted him to the door, outside of which was their station for the night. When Frank and he entered the observatory, the former gently shut the door, and, turning to his foster-brother, exclaimed in accents of deep distress, but lowering his voice, “There is not a moment to be lost; you must escape.” “That is impossible,” replied Hewson, “unless I had wings and could use them.” “We must try,” returned Frank; “we can only fail--at the most they can only take your life, and that they’ll do at all events.” “I know that,” said Hewson, “and I am prepared for it.” “Hear me,” said the other; “I will come up by and bye with refreshments, say in about half an hour; be you stripped when I come. We are both of a size; and as these fellows don’t know either of us very well, I wouldn’t say but you may go out in my clothes. I’ll hear nothing,” he added, seeing Hewson about to speak; “I am here too long, and these fellows might begin to suspect something. Be prepared when I come. Good bye, Mr Hewson,” he said aloud, as he opened the door; “in troth an’ conscience I’m sorry to see you here, but that’s the consequence of turnin’ rebel against King George, an’ glory to him--_soon and sudden_,” he added in an undertone. “In about half an hour I’ll bring you up some supper, sir. Keep a sharp eye on him,” he whispered to the two soldiers, giving them at the same time a knowing and confidential wink; “these same rebels are like eels, an’ will slip as aisily through your fingers--an’ the devil a better one yez have in there;” and as he spoke, he pointed over his shoulder with his inverted thumb to the door of the observatory. Much about the time he had promised to return, a crash was heard upon the stairs, and Finnegan’s voice in a high key exclaiming, “The curse o’ blazes on you for stairs, an’ hell _presume_ all the rebels in Europe, I pray heavens this night! There’s my nose broke between you all!” He then stooped down, and in a torrent of bitter imprecations--all conveyed, however, in mock oaths--he collected and placed again upon the tray on which they had been, all the materials for Hewson’s supper. He then ascended, and on presenting himself at the prisoner’s door, the blood was copiously streaming from his nose. The soldiers--who by the way were yeomen--on seeing him, could not avoid laughing at his rueful appearance--a circumstance which seemed to nettle him a good deal. “Yez may laugh!” he exclaimed, “but I’d hould a wager I’ve shed more blood for his majesty this night than either of you ever did in your lives!” This only heightened their mirth, in the midst of which he entered Hewson’s room; and ere the action could be deemed possible, they had exchanged clothes.