Drawing back, he paused a moment in thought.  The trapdoor would be discovered at once, and a search on the roof commenced, and the soldiers would be placed behind the houses.  There was no time to be lost in continuing his search for a house with a building projecting behind, onto which he could lower himself with his rope, which was not nearly long enough to reach the ground.

Looking over at the back, between two of the sharp ridges of the roofs, he hung his rope so that it would fall across a window, fastened the end round a stack of chimneys, and then, taking hold of it, swung himself over.  He had been very careful in tying the knots, and had tested them by pulling at them with all his strength; but he did not feel at all certain that they might not draw with his weight, in which case he must have been dashed to pieces on the ground far below him; but there was no time to hesitate, and, as fast as he could, he began to slide down the rope, the frequent knots affording good hold for his hands.

At last he reached the window.  It was made of the small diamond-shaped panes at that time in general use.  Holding the rope with one hand and his legs, he dashed the other hand through a pane, just where he judged the fastening inside would be.  Three panes were beaten in before he felt the latch.  This was easily turned.  The frame opened outward, and he had some difficulty in pulling it past him; then, grasping the woodwork, he drew himself in, and with a great effort succeeded in gaining a sufficient holding to enable him to leave go of the rope, and make good his footing inside.

He had little fear of the inmates of the house taking notice of the fall of glass; for, had they noticed the sound above the din in the street, they would have supposed that the breakage was caused by one of the flying stones.  He ran lightly downstairs, and opened a door at the back of the house, and found himself in the yard.  The wall was not very high, and a spring enabled him to get his fingers on the top.  He was soon sitting there, and then dropped into the road behind.

The sound of his fall caught the ears of the soldiers, who were stationed at the back of the house from whence he had started, some fifty yards away.  There was a sharp challenge, and then, as no answer was given, four or five shots were fired, and there was a rush of feet along the road.

As it was only in the principal thoroughfares that a few lights were exhibited, the road would have been in complete darkness had not the clouds, just at that moment, blown away from the face of the moon, which was half full.