There was not room for two of them to work together, and they agreed to take it by turns, changing every quarter of an hour.
To their great satisfaction, they found that the saw did its work much more quickly than they had expected, and by the time each had had a turn the bar was cut through; and by morning the side bars had also all been cut.

They did not attempt to cut the main bar higher up, as, had they done so, it would have been difficult to keep the portion cut out in its place.
When it was light, they filled up all the cuts with bread, which they had managed to secrete in the palms of their hands at dinner.
This they kneaded into a sort of putty, rolled it in the dust of the floor until black, and then squeezed it into the interstices.
"There is no fear of their noticing it," O'Neil said, when they had finished.

"I cannot see the cuts myself from the floor, though I know where they are; and unless they were to climb up there, and examine the place very closely, they would not see anything wrong." "Shall we hang out the flag today, Kennedy ?" "I think we had better wait till tomorrow.

He will be hardly expecting to see it, today, and may not be ready with the rope and disguises." The next morning the signal was hung out.

They saw nothing of Mike, but as he would be able to make out the handkerchief from a considerable distance, they had no doubt whatever that he had observed it, but thought it prudent not to show himself near the prison again.