If you could only get on to the roof," said he, "you would reach it easily." "We are not far from the roof already," said I, pointing to a corner of the ceiling through which, even as we spoke, flakes of snow were drifting into the room.
Captain Lestrange took a log of fuel and poked the hole, till it was large enough to let a person through.
He bade me tear the sheet, make a band of it, and fasten it round my mistress, while he clambered through my window on to the roof.

It was a perilous climb, but the captain was lithe and active as a cat.

In a minute we saw him looking in through the hole in the ceiling.
"Now hand me the end of the band," said he, "and come here and help me to haul .-- Nerve yourself, cousin, and all will be well." Between us, we had no difficulty in drawing the poor lady through the opening on to the roof; and when we let down the band for Miss Kit, her light, little form followed readily enough.
"Down," said the captain, crouching in the gutter of the parapet and beginning to crawl along it.
We followed painfully and slowly, finding the journey very long, and expecting any moment to hear the pursuer behind.
Presently we came to a halt, and saw our conductor remove some slates and discover an opening into the house below.
Once more the linen band came into requisition.

The ladies were lowered into the room.

The captain and I paused to set the slates, so that no one should be able to detect the place of our entrance.