‘Quick – up there!’ The old woman pointed up the chimney. ‘There’s an opening on the right, halfway up.’
Joseph dived into the hearth and hauled himself up over the iron spit. The fire was only smouldering and there was not much smoke. He had not found the opening when the door burst open and two soldiers came in. While they searched the room, he stood very still, his legs astride the chimney. He wanted to cough. He thought his lungs would burst.
Suddenly, a head peered up the chimney. It was the old woman. ‘They’ve gone upstairs,’ she said. ‘But don’t come down yet.’
She showed him where the opening was. He crept inside, coughing. He could see the sky through the wide chimney top above him.
