He uttered a cry of hope: had a friendly hand shot it?
He took it up, and felt it all over: he found a soft substance attached to it.

Then one of his eccentricities was of grand use to him.

His tinder-box enabled him to strike a light: it showed him two things that made his heart bound with delight, none the less thrilling for being somewhat vague.

Attached to the arrow was a skein of silk, and on the arrow itself were words written.
How his eyes devoured them, his heart panting the while! Well beloved, make fast the silk to thy knife and lower to us: but hold thine end fast: then count an hundred and draw up.
Gerard seized the oak chest, and with almost superhuman energy dragged it to the window: a moment ago he could not have moved it.

Standing on the chest and looking down, he saw figures at the tower foot.