midday
`` Why not , father ? '' Ned asked . `` Because it 's only ten steps from the top , Ned ; so that , however great a smoke they make , we can be there again the instant they begin to pull it down . '' It was now past midday , and the party partook sparingly of their small store of food and water . The smoke continued for some time to pour out of the door of the stairs in dense volumes , then became lighter . Several times the lads tried to descend a few steps , but found that breathing was impossible , for the smoke from the green wood was insupportable . At last it became clear enough to breathe , and then the party ran rapidly down to their second barricade .