To give an idea of the difficulties of Jack’s situation, let it be repeated that there was but one door to the room, and this was bolted on the outside.  The room was in the second story.  The only two windows looked out upon a court.  These windows were securely fastened.  Still a way might have been devised to break through them, if this would at all have improved his condition.  Of this, however, there seemed but little chance.  Even if he had succeeded in getting safely into the court, there would have been difficulty and danger in getting into the street.

All these considerations passed through Jack’s mind, and occasioned him no little perplexity.  He began to think that the redoubtable Baron Trenck himself might have been puzzled, if placed under similar circumstances.

At length this suggestion occurred to him:  Why might he not cut a hole through the door, just above or below the bolt, sufficiently large for him to thrust his hand through, and slip it back?  Should he succeed in this, he would steal down stairs, and as, in all probability, the key would be in the outside door, he could open it, and then he would be free.

With hope springing up anew in his heart, he hastened to the door and examined it.  It was of common strength.  He might, perhaps, have been able to kick it open, but of course this was not to be thought of, as the noise would at once attract the attention of those interested in frustrating his plans.

Fortunately, Jack was provided with a large, sharp jack-knife.  He did not propose, however, to commence operations at present.  In the daytime he would be too subject to a surprise.  With evening, he resolved to commence his work.  He might be unsuccessful, and subjected, in consequence, to a more rigorous confinement; but of this he must run the risk.  “Nothing venture, nothing have.”

Jack awaited the coming of evening with impatience.  The afternoon had never seemed so long.

It came at last—­a fine moonlight night.  This was fortunate, for his accommodating host, from motives of economy possibly, was not in the habit of providing him with a candle.

Jack thought it prudent to wait till he heard the city clocks pealing the hour of twelve.  By this time, as far as he could see from his windows, there were no lights burning, and all who occupied the building were probably asleep.

He selected that part of the door which he judged to be directly under the bolt, and began to cut away with his knife.  The wood was soft, and easy of excavation.  In the course of half an hour Jack had cut a hole sufficiently large to pass his hand through, but found that, in order to reach the bolt, he must enlarge it a little.  This took him fifteen minutes longer.