A head was thrust out, and Mr.Gordon's voice asked sternly--"Who's there ?" He seemed at once to have caught sight of the ladder, and made an endeavor to reach it; but though he stretched out his arm at full length, he could not do so.
"We must cut for it," said Eric; "it's quite too dark for him to see us, or even to notice that we are boys." They moved the ladder to the wall, and sprang over, one after the other, as fast as they could.

Eric was last, and just as he got to the top of the wall he heard the back door open, and some one run out into the yard.
"Run for your lives," said Eric hurriedly; "it's Gordon, and he's raising the alarm." They heard footsteps following them, and an occasional shout of "thieves! thieves!" "We must separate and run different ways, or we've no chance of escape.
We'd better turn towards the town to put them off the right scent," said Eric again.
"Don't leave me," pleaded Wildney; "you know I can't run very fast." "No, Charlie, I won't;" and grasping his hand, Eric hurried him over the style and through the fields, while Pietrie and Graham took the opposite direction.
Some one (they did not know who it was, but suspected it to be Mr.
Gordon's servant-man) was running after them, and they could distinctly hear his footsteps, which seemed to be half a field distant.

He carried a light, and they heard him panting.

They were themselves tired, and in the utmost trepidation; the usually courageous Wildney was trembling all over, and his fear communicated itself to Eric.

Horrible visions of a trial for burglary, imprisonment in the castle jail, and perhaps transportation, presented themselves to their excited imaginations, as the sound of the footsteps came nearer.
"I can't run any further, Eric," said Wildney.