The oaken beam, nine inches in thickness, was now the sole but most formidable obstacle to his flight.
With his gimblet he contrived to bore a number of holes so close together that at last one end of the bar, being completely pierced through, yielded; and pursuing the same with the other extremity, it fell out altogether.
This last operation was so fatiguing, that for a short time he was obliged to pause to recover the use of his fingers.

He then descended; and having induced Bess to take off some part of her clothing, he tore the gown and petticoat into shreds and twisted them into a sort of rope which he fastened to the lower bars of the window.

With some difficulty he contrived to raise her to the window, and with still greater difficulty to squeeze her through it--her bulk being much greater than his own.

He then made a sort of running noose, passed it over her body, and taking firmly hold of the bars, prepared to guide her descent.

But Bess could scarcely summon resolution enough to hazard the experiment; and it was only on Jack's urgent intreaties, and even threats, that she could be prevailed on to trust herself to the frail tenure of the rope he had prepared.