The iron pegs, however, were so firmly driven into the beam, that all their efforts failed to move them in the slightest.

“We will give that up for the present,” Francis said, “and look round for something more available.”

But with the exception of the water casks, the closest search failed to find anything in the hold.

“I do not know whether the iron hoops of a cask would be of any use,” Matteo said.

“Certainly they would be of use, if we get them off, Matteo.”

“There is no difficulty about that,” one of the others said, examining the casks closely.  “This is an empty one, and the hoops seem quite loose.”

In a few minutes, four iron hoops were taken off the cask.

“After all,” Matteo said, “they cannot be of much use.  The iron is rust eaten, and they would break in our hands before going into any one.”

“They would certainly be useless as daggers, Matteo, but I think that with care they will act as saws.  Break off a length of about a foot.

“Now straighten it, and tear a piece off your doublet and wrap it round and round one end, so that you can hold it.  Now just try it on the edge of a beam.”

“It certainly cuts,” Matteo announced after a trial, “but not very fast.”

“So that it cuts at all, we may be very well content,” Francis said cheerfully.  “We have got a week, at least, to work in; and if the wind is not favourable, we may have a month.  Let us therefore break the hoops up into pieces of the right length.  We must use them carefully, for we may expect to have many breakages.”

“What next, captain?”

“Our object will, of course, be to cut through into the main hold, which separates us from the crew.  There we shall probably find plenty of weapons.  But to use our saws, we must first find a hole in the bulkhead.  First of all, then, let there be a strict search made for a knothole, or any other hole through the bulkhead.”

It was too dark for eyes to be of much use, but hands were run all over the bulkhead.  But no hole, however small, was discovered.

“It is clear, then,” Francis said, “that the first thing to do is to cut out some of those iron bolts.  Pick out those that are nearest to the lower side of the beam, say three of them.  There are twelve of us.  That will give four to each bolt, and we can relieve each other every few minutes.  Remember, it is patience that is required, and not strength.”

The work was at once begun.  The young men had, by this time, fully entered into the spirit of the attempt.  The quiet and businesslike way, in which their leader set about it, convinced them that he at least had a firm belief that the work was possible; and there was a hope, even if but a remote one, of avoiding the dreaded dungeons of Genoa.