By and by, when de Zavala and the soldier were gone, Ned went again to the window, stood there a few moments to harden his resolution, and then came back to the man. "Mr. Austin," he said, "I am going to ask your consent to something." The Texan looked up in surprise. "Why, Edward, my lad," he said kindly, "you don't have to ask my consent to anything, after the way in which you have already sacrificed yourself for me." "But I am not going to stay with you any longer, Mr. Austin--that is, if I can help it. I am going back to Texas." Mr. Austin laughed. It was a mellow and satisfied laugh. "So you are, Edward," he said, "and I am going with you. You will help me to bear a message of peace and safety to the Texans." Ned paused a moment, irresolute. There was no change in his determination. He was merely uncertain about the words to use. "There may be delays," he said at last, "and--Mr. Austin, I have decided to go alone--and within the next day or two if I can." The Texan's face clouded. "I cannot understand you," he said. "Why this hurry? It would in reality be a breach of faith to our great friend, Santa Anna--that is, if you could go. I don't believe you can." Ned was troubled. He was tempted to tell what was in his mind, but he knew that he would not be believed, so he fell back again upon his infinite capacity for silence. Mr. Austin read resolution in the closed lips and rigid figure. "Do you really mean that you will attempt to steal away?" he asked. "As soon as I can." The man shook his head. "It would be better not to do so," he said, "but you are your own master, and I see I cannot dissuade you from the attempt. But, boy, you will promise me not to take any unnecessary or foolish risks?" "I promise gladly, and, Mr. Austin, I hate to leave you here." Their quarters were commodious and Ned slept alone in a small room to the left of the main apartment. It was a bare place with only a bed and a chair, but it was lighted by a fairly large window. Ned examined this window critically. It had a horizontal iron bar across the middle, and it was about thirty feet from the ground. He pulled at the iron bar with both hands but, although rusty with time, it would not move in its socket. Then he measured the two spaces between the bar and the wall. Hope sprang up in the boy's heart. Then he did a strange thing. He removed nearly all his clothing and tried to press his head and shoulders between the bar and the wall. His head, which was of the long narrow type, so common in the scholar, would have gone through the aperture, had it not been for his hair which was long, and which grew uncommonly thick. His shoulders were very thick and broad and they, too, halted him. He drew back and felt a keen thrill of disappointment.