"You had better take off that jacket, sir. I can't see it, but I can feel as it don't look a bit like a fisher-boy's things. That's your sort! Now then, Master Waller, pull that there jersey over his head. That's the way. There, now, he feels like a regular sailor-lad. Here's a sou'-wester, too. It's rather an old un, but none the worse for that. There you are. Now then, I have got a bit of a pot here. You hold your hands, and I'll fish out a dob of it with my knife. Then you give it a good rub round with your hands so as to go all over them, and then you can gorm them well over your face. Don't be afraid of it, sir. It'll make you look every bit a sailor, and won't wash off in a month." Godfrey drew in his breath with a hiss. "Why, what is it, Bunny?" said Waller. "Real good pitch, sir, same as they pays over the bottoms of their boats." "Oh, but surely that isn't necessary," cried Waller angrily. "He's right," said Godfrey, as he began to rub the sticky brown produce of the fir well over his hands and face. "It's the best disguise I could assume." "Hist!" said Waller. "Didn't I hear something?" Bunny turned to the window, looked out cautiously, and drew in his head again. "They've come," he whispered. "Now sir, can't you get us down to the back door, so that we can slip away at once?" "No," said Waller excitedly. "We should have to cross the hall, and they'd be there." "I'm all right," said Bunny. "I can slip down easier than I got up. What about this here young gentleman? He won't find it so easy with that there canvas on." "No," cried Waller. "He couldn't get down. I don't believe I could. What in the world are we to do?" "Ar'n't got a bit of rope, I suppose, sir?" whispered Bunny. "Yes, of course. I'd forgotten." "Strong un?" "The new one I got for the fishing-net," said Waller. "That'll do it. Now then, let me look out while you get it. You make it fast to the big window-bar while I just try and see what they are doing. I want to make sure that they all go in and leave the way clear for us to slide down. Once we can get to the woods we shall be all right." "Make sure," whispered Waller, "that they don't leave a sentry by the porch." Bunny grunted, and as silently as he could Waller took his coil of rope from the drawer, fastened it again to the beam, and, as soon as the man drew in his head, prepared to lower it down. "It's all right, my lad. Be quick. Some of them has gone round to the back, and your gal Bella has just let t'others in by the front door. Here, I'll go down first to see if the rope's safe, and ready to knock over any of them sojers if he tries to stop us. The young gent had better come next, and you last. You'll have to leave the rope to get back after you have seen us a bit on the way. But hold hard a minute. How long is that rope?" "About thirty yards," said Waller.