"Truly the rats are not so senseless. They know we are unarmed, and hope to take us without letting the bonzes share the reward; but let us ascend, it is our only chance," said Nicholas, leading the way up a steep staircase to the next story; but, hearing voices beneath, he added, "Let us clamber to the top and lie quiet, when they may perhaps give up the search." So they ascended the next staircase, but when they came to the third story they were vexed to find the stairs fallen so completely to ruin that they could proceed no higher. Fortune, however, favored them, for looking around they saw a ladder, which had probably been left by the bonze, whose business it was to exhibit the ancient ruin for the convenience of visitors. To ascend was the work of a minute, but before they had reached the uppermost round of the ladder they heard their pursuers enter the lower apartment, when, quickening their movements, they soon reached the seventh story. Now, as like a pyramid, the building diminished in bulk as it increased in height, the top was so small that they could but just pass through the small aperture into the little room, which, fortunately, was in such a dilapidated state, that the roof near the central pole or spire, which ran up the interior from the base to the apex, and was surmounted by a kind of large button, was nearly off. Once in this room, they set about fortifying their position, by pulling up a few of the loose flooring-boards and throwing them over the well hole by which they had entered. It was a happy thought, for as they were laying the last board over the hole, they saw the soldier upon the first round of the top ladder. In a moment they squatted down with their whole weight upon the boards, and as the aperture was so small that but one man could ever attempt to pass through at a time, they were secure. For at least two hours they remained in that position, which proved such a formidable obstacle to the entrance of the man, that tired out, he determined to consult with his companions as to some other means of destroying the boys. Then, leaving Chow upon the boards watching through a hole for the man's next attempt to force their position, Nicholas ascended through a hole in the crumbling roof, looked around for some few minutes, then descending, said, "We will escape from the roof." "Where are our wings, O, my master? for without them we shall become very small pieces of broken china by the time we reach the bottom," said the astonished Chow. "In our garments," said Nicholas, taking off his robes and tearing the inner one into narrow slips, which being sufficient explanation for Chow, he followed his master's example, and by plaiting them together they managed to form a long rope with loops for hand holes at intervals.