the thing would be so canted over that I think it would fall from
its own weight."

They now attached the string to the point, fixed the hook to the
top of the wall, and then pulled upon the string. The hook at
once fell to their feet.

"That is capital," Hector said. "Now we can go to work. We need
carry this crowbar no farther. In the first place we will cross
this roof and other roofs as far as we can go; the sentry at the
corner is probably standing up for shelter in a doorway, and we
may as well get as far as we can from him, and at the same time
not go far enough to get near the one at the next corner."

After one or two attempts the hook became fixed on the ridge of the
roof, and they at once climbed up, unfastened the hook, and slid
down on the now snow covered tiles. Two more roofs were crossed in
the same way, and then they prepared to descend. They had, when
they put on their disguises, tied knots in the rope at a distance
of a foot apart. They now adjusted the hook on the parapet.

"Shall I go first, master, or will you?"

"I will go first, though in fact it matters little which of us does
it; but first I must warm my fingers. I don't think that I could
trust to them at present."

He gathered a handful of snow, made it into a ball, and held it
in his hands until the cold pained him, then he dropped the snow
and thrust his hands up the sleeves of his doublet. Paolo looked