They carried their shoes in their hands, ran noiselessly down stairs, and went to the same window at which Eric and Wildney had got out before.

Wildney had taken care beforehand to break the pane and move away the glass, so they had only to loosen the bar and slip through one by one.
It was cold and very dark, and as on the March morning they stood out in the playground, all four would rather have been safe and harmlessly in bed.

But the novelty and the excitement of the enterprise bore them up, and they started off quickly for the house at which Mr.Gordon and his pupils lived, which was about half a mile from the school.

They went arm in arm to assure each other a little, for at first in their fright they were inclined to take every post and tree for a man in ambush, and to hear a recalling voice in every sound of wind and wave.
Not far from Mr.Gordon's was a carpenter's shop, and outside of this there was generally a ladder standing.

They had arranged to carry this ladder with them (as it was only a short one), climb the low garden wall with it, and then place it against the house, immediately under the dovecot which hung by the first story-windows.