When the bar was once ready for removal the captives delayed not a minute, for although it was now so late that there was little chance of a visit being paid them, it was just possible that such might be the case, and that it might occur to the knight that it would be safer to separate them.
"Now, Ralph, do you go first, since I am lighter and can climb up by means of the strap, which you can hold from above; push the bar out and lay it down quietly on the thickness of the wall.A splash might attract the attention of the sentries, though I doubt whether it would, for the wind is high and the rain falling fast.Unbuckle the strap before you move the bar, as otherwise it might fall and I should have difficulty in handing it to you again.Now, I am steady against the wall."Ralph seized the bar and with a great effort pushed the bottom from him.It moved through the groove without much difficulty, but it needed a great wrench to free the upper end.However, it was done, and laying it quietly down he pulled himself up and thrust himself through the loophole.It was a desperate struggle to get through, for it was only just wide enough for his head to pass, and he was so squarely built that his body with difficulty followed.The wall was four feet wide, and as the loophole widened considerably without, there was, when he had once passed through from the inside, space enough for him to kneel down and lower one end of the strap to Walter.The latter speedily climbed up, and getting through the slit with much less trouble than Ralph had experienced - for although in height and width of shoulder he was his equal, he was less in depth than his follower - he joined him in the opening; Ralph sitting with his feet in the water in order to make room for him.
The dungeon was upon the western side of the castle, and consequently the stream would be with them in making for shore.It was pitch dark, but they knew that the distance they would have to swim could not exceed forty or fifty yards.
"Keep along close by the wall, Ralph, if we once get out in the stream we might lose our way; we will skirt the wall until it ends, then there is a cut, for as you saw when we entered, the moat runs right across this neck.
If we keep a bit farther down and then land, we shall be fairly beyond the outworks."Ralph slipped down into the water, and followed by Walter swam along at the foot of the wall.They had already been deprived of their armour, but had luckily contrived to retain their daggers in their belts, which they had again girdled on before entering the water.The stream hurried them rapidly along, and they had only to keep themselves afloat.They were soon at the corner of the castle.A few strokes farther and they again felt the wall which lined the moat.The stream still swept them along, they felt the masonry come to an end, and bushes and shrubs lined the bank.They were beyond the outer defences of the castle.Still a little farther they proceeded down the stream in order to prevent the possibility of any noise they might make in scrambling up being heard by the sentinels on the outer postern.Then when they felt quite safe they grasped the bushes, and speedily climbed the bank.Looking back at the castle they saw lights still burning there.Short as was the time they had been in the water they were both chilled to the bone, for it was the month of February, and the water was bitterly cold.
"It cannot be more than nine o'clock now," Walter said, "for it is not more than four hours since darkness fell.They are not likely to visit the dungeon before eight or nine tomorrow, so we can rely upon twelve hours'
start, and if we make the best of our time we ought to be far on travelling on a night like this through a strange country.I would that the stars were shining.However, the direction of the wind and rain will be a guide to us, and we shall soon strike the road we traveled yesterday, and can follow that till morning."They were not long before they found the track, and then started at a brisk pace along it.All night they struggled on through wind and rain until the first dawn enabled them to see the objects in the surrounding country; and making for the forest which extended to within a mile of the road, they entered deep into its shelter, and there utterly exhausted, threw themselves down on the wet ground.After a few hours of uneasy sleep they woke, and taking their place near the edge of the forest watched for the passage of any party which might be in pursuit, but until nightfall none came along.
