"The only plan, Peter, is to get in through Rhoda's window. She is very angry at that brute Jones treating us so badly, and if I take her into the secret I feel sure she will agree." Rhoda was appealed to, and although at first she said it was quite, quite impossible, she finally agreed, although with much fear and trembling, to assist them. First, the boys were to buy some rope and make a rope ladder, which Rhoda was to take up to her room; she was to open the window wide when she went to bed, but to pull the blind down as usual, so that if her aunt came in she would not notice it. Then, when she heard her aunt come tip to bed at half-past nine, she was to get up very quietly, drop the rope ladder out, fastening it as they instructed her, and then get into bed again, and go to sleep if she could, as the boys would not try to come in until after Miss Scudamore was asleep. Two nights after this the schoolmaster was returning from his usual visit to Mr. Dunstable, when, to his horror, he saw a gigantic figure advance from under a tree which overshadowed the lawn, and heard a deep voice say, "Your money or your life!" Like all bullies, the schoolmaster was a coward, and no sooner did he see this terrible figure, and his ears caught the ominous click of a pistol which accompanied the words, than his teeth chattered, his whole figure trembled with fear, and he fell on his knees, crying, "Spare my life!--take all that I have, but spare my life!" "You miserable coward!" the giant said, "I do not want to take your wretched life. What money have you?" "I have only two shillings," he exclaimed; "I swear to you that I have only two shillings." "What is the use of two shillings to me?--give them to the first beggar you see." "Yes, sir," the schoolmaster said; "I swear to you that I will." "Give me your watch." The schoolmaster took out his watch, and, getting upon his feet, handed it to the giant. "There now, you can go; but see," he added, as the schoolmaster turned with great alacrity to leave--"look here." "Yes, sir." "Look here, and mark my words well. Don't you go to that house where you have been to-night, or it will be the worse for you. You are a wretch, and I won't see that poor little girl marry you and be made miserable. Swear to me you will give her up." The schoolmaster hesitated, but there was again the ominous click of the pistol. "Yes, yes, I swear it," he said hastily. "I will give her up altogether." "You had better keep your oath," the giant said, "for if you break it, if I hear you go there any more--I shall be sure to hear of it--I will put an ounce of lead in you, if I have to do it in the middle of your school. Do you hear me? Now you may go." Only too glad to escape, the schoolmaster walked quickly off, and in a moment his steps could be heard as he ran at the top of his speed down the lane. In a moment the giant appeared to break in two, and two small figures stood where the large one had been.