There was nothing stately about their march.

They darted up the stairs two steps at a time, and the last we saw of them was as they turned the corner into the passage, at the end of which was situate the enemy's fortress.
It seemed a year before they returned! At last Shankley, with beaming face, burst into our midst.
"It's all right!" said he, in an excited whisper.

"She sounded a little like kicking, so Philpot's keeping guard.

We had one screw half in before she even heard us." "What did she say then ?" asked three or four eager questioners.
"She wanted to know who was there, and if we wanted to speak to her we must wait till she came down, and a bad mark to whoever it was for coming and disturbing her." There was a general laugh at this, which Smith hurriedly checked.
"The thing's only half done yet," he said.

"Time enough to laugh when the other two are safe." This was a wise rebuke, and we became serious in an instant.
"Now," said Smith, "have you got the screwdriver and screws all right, Batchelor?
The rest of you be ready if I call;" and off he went to summon the two masters to the parlour.
It was a critical moment, for every thing depended on our getting both into the room together.
Smith, so he told us afterwards, found both Mr Ladislaw and Mr Hashford talking together in the study of the former.