failed, had created a feeling of the deepest disquiet among that
portion of the population who had taken a leading part in throwing
off the authority of the duchess and in acknowledging that of Prince
Thomas. They had regarded her cause as lost, but the vigorous
steps that France was taking to assist her had caused uneasiness;
and if, while as yet a comparatively small force had arrived,
these had shown so bold a front, had captured Chieri in the face
of a powerful army, had revictualled Casale, had defeated Prince
Thomas and forced their way past the array of Leganez, it might
well be that in the spring, when reinforcements reached them, they
might even defeat the Spaniards and lay siege to Turin itself. The
boys remained where they were until it began to grow dusk, when,
after buying at three shops a saw, a crowbar, and an auger, they went
and sat down on a doorway in a quiet street until eight o'clock.
Then they took their way to the Strada Vecchia. It was entirely
deserted. Lights showed in one or two of the windows, but, except
that they could hear the tread of the nearest sentry, all was
silent. Taking off their wooden shoes they moved cautiously along,
keeping close to the houses. The fourth they came to had an
unusually deep doorway, and they decided at once that this would
suit their purpose. First they tried with the crowbar, but the
lock held firmly.

"We will try another way, Paolo. If the door yields, it will go
with a crash, and the sentry might come down to see what had caused
the noise. We had better take out this lower panel; we shall want
four holes bored touching each other to make one large enough for
the saw to enter."

The wood was of oak, and it took Paolo fully five minutes to make