按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
going to begin。
Listen hard…hard！ The brutes are noiseless； but if they are near we can hear their breathing。〃
〃But； Paul…〃
〃No more talk。 Listen！〃
We lay silent for many minutes； scarcely breathing。 Not the slightest sound reached our ears through the profound darkness； utter； intense silence。 Finally I reached over and touched Harry on the shoulder； and arose to my knees。
〃Good enough！ We're alone。 We'll have to crawl for it。 Keep close behind me； we don't want to get separated。 The first thing is to find a sharp stone to cut through these thongs。 Feel on the ground with your hands as we go。〃
It was not easy to rise at all； and still harder to make any progress； for our ankles were bound together most effectively； but we managed somehow to drag ourselves along。 I was in front； suddenly I felt Harry pull at my coat； and turned。
〃Just the thing； Paul。 Sharp as a knife。 Look！〃
I groped for his hand in the darkness and took from it the object he held out to me…a small flat stone with a sharp…saw edge。
〃All right； let me work on you first。〃
I bent down to the thongs which bound his ankles。 I was convinced that they were not of leather； but they were tough as the thickest hide。 Twice my overeagerness caused the tool to slip and tear the skin from my hand； then I went about it more carefully with a muttered oath。 Another quarter of an hour and Harry was free。
〃Gad； that feels good！〃 he exclaimed； rising to his feet。
〃Here； Paul； where's the stone？〃
I handed it to him and he knelt down and began sawing away at my feet。
What followed happened so quickly that we were hardly aware that it had begun when it was already finished。
A quick； pattering rush of many feet warned us； but not in time。 Hurtling； leaping bodies came at us headlong through the air and crushed us to the ground； buried beneath them； gasping for breath； there must have been scores of them。 Resistance was impossible； we were overwhelmed。
I heard Harry give a despairing cry； and the scuffle followed； I myself was utterly helpless； for the thongs which bound my ankles had not been cut through。 Not a sound came from our assailants save their heavy； labored breathing。
I remember that； even while they were sitting on my head and chest and body； I noted their silence with a sort of impersonal curiosity and wondered if they were； after all； human。 Nor were they unnecessarily violent； they merely subdued us； rebound our wrists and ankles more tightly than before； and departed。
But…faugh！ The unspeakable odor of their hairy bodies is in my nostrils yet。
〃Are you hurt； Paul？〃
〃Not a bit； Harry lad。 How do you like the perfume？〃
〃To the deuce with your perfume！ But we're done for。 What's the use？ They've lived in this infernal hole so long they can see in the dark better than we can in the light。〃
Of course he was right； and I was a fool not to have thought of it before and practised caution。 The knowledge was decidedly unpleasant。 No doubt our every movement was being watched by a hundred pairs of eyes； while we lay helpless in the darkness； bound even more tightly than before。
〃Look here；〃 said Harry suddenly； 〃why can't we see their eyes？ Why don't they shine。〃
〃My dear boy；〃 said I； 〃in this darkness you couldn't see the Kohinoor diamond if it were hanging on your nose； drawing…room travelers to the contrary notwithstanding。 We have one advantage…they can't understand what we say； but they even up for it by not saying anything。〃
There was a short silence； then Harry's voice：
〃Paul…〃
〃Well？〃
〃I wonder…do you think Desiree…〃 He hesitated； his voice faltering。
〃I think the same as you do；〃 said I。
〃But I don't know…after all； there is a chance。 Just a bare chance； isn't there？〃
〃You know as well as I do； Harry。 The chances are a million to one that Desiree…thank Heaven…has escaped all this！ And isn't that best！ Would you have her here with us？〃
〃No…no。 Only…〃
〃Lying here； bound hand and foot？ She would make a dainty morsel for our friends。〃
〃For the Lord's sake； Paul…〃
〃Well； let us forget her…for the present。 Nor do we want to make a dainty morsel if we can help it。 e； brace up； Hal。 It's up to us to turn a trick。〃
〃Well？〃
〃I don't know why I didn't think of it before。 I guess we were both too dazed to have good sense。 What have you got strapped to your belt？〃
〃A gun；〃 said Harry。 〃Of course I thought of that。 But what good is it after that ducking？ And I have only six cartridges。〃
〃Nothing else？〃
I could almost feel his silent gaze； then suddenly he cried
out：
〃A knife！〃
〃At last！〃 said I sarcastically。 〃And so have I。 A six…inch；
double…edged knife； sharp as a razor and pointed like a needle。
They didn't have sense enough to search us； and we didn't have
sense enough to realize it。 I can feel mine under me now against the ground。〃
〃But they'll see us。〃
〃Not if we use a decent amount of caution。 The trouble is； I can't reach my knife with my wrists bound。 There's only one way。
Lie perfectly still； let them think we've given it up。 I'm going to try something。〃
I drew up my knees； twisted over on the hard rock； and lay flat on my belly。 Then I drew up my hands and let my face rest on them； like a dog with his head on his paws。 And then； keeping my body perfectly still； and with as little movement of the jaws as possible； I sought the tough thongs with my teeth。
That was a tedious job and a distasteful one。 For many minutes I gnawed away at those thick cords like a dog on a bone。
It was considerably later that I discovered what those cords were made of； thank Heaven； I was ignorant of it at the time！ All I knew was that they were； to use one of Harry's phrases； 〃tough as rats。〃
I did not dare pull with my wrists； for fear they would fly suddenly apart and betray me to the unseen watchers。 It was necessary to cut clear through with my teeth； and more than once I was on the point of giving it up。 There was a nauseating； rancid taste to the stuff； but I dared not even raise my head to expectorate。
Finally my teeth met； the cords were severed。 I felt carefully about with my tongue to make sure there were no others； then； without moving my hands in the slightest degree； carefully raised my head。
It was then that I first noticed…not light； but a thinning out of the darkness。 It was； of course； merely the adjustment of my eyes to the new conditions。 I could make out no forms surrounding me； but； looking down； I could clearly distinguish the outline of my hands as they lay on the ground before me。
And； again looking up； I fancied that I could see； some twenty or thirty feet to the right； that the darkness again became suddenly dense and impenetrable。
〃That must be a wall；〃 I muttered； straining my eyes toward it。
〃What's that？〃 asked Harry sharply。
Obedient to my instructions； the lad had lain perfectly motionless and silent for over an hour； for it must have taken me at least that long to gnaw through the cords。
〃I said that must be a wall。 Look； Harry； about thirty feet to the right。 Doesn't it appear to you that way？〃
〃By Jove；〃 he exclaimed after a moment of silence； 〃it's getting light！ Look！〃
I explained that； instead of 〃it's getting light；〃 his eyes were merely being accustomed to the darkness。
〃But what do you think of that？ Is it a wall？〃
After a moment's silence he answered： 〃Ye…es；〃 and then more positively： 〃Yes。 But what good does that do us？〃
〃That's what I am about to tell you。 Listen！ I've cut the cords on my wrists； and I'm going to get my knife…〃
〃How the deuce did you manage that？〃 Harry interrupted。
〃With my teeth。 I've been rather busy。 I'm going to get my knife…cautiously； so they won't suspect if they are watching us。
We must lie close together on our sides； facing each other； so I can cut the thongs on your wrists without being seen。 Then you are to get your knife…carefully。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes。〃
For the first time there was fight in Harry's voice； the curious； barely perceptible tremor of the man of courage。
〃All right。 Go easy。〃
We went about the thing slowly； turning but an inch at a time； a second mistake might prove fatal。 We heard no sound of any kind； and ten minutes later we were lying flat on our backs side by side； keeping our hands hidden between our bodies； that the absence of the thongs might not be discovered。 Each of us held in his right hand the hilt of a six inch knife。 Cold steel is by no means the favorite weapon of an American； but there are times… 〃Have you got your knife； Harry？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Good！ Now listen close and act quick。 When I give the word reach down and grasp the cords round your ankles in your left hand； then cut them through with one stroke。 Then to your feet； grasp my jacket； and together to the wall…that's for our backs。 And then…let 'em e！〃
〃All right； old man。〃
〃Don't waste any time； they'll probably start for us the instant we sit up。 Be sure you get your feet free at the first stroke； feel them well with your left hand first。 Are you ready？〃
〃Yes。〃 And his voice was now calm and perfectly steady。
〃Then…one； two； three…go！〃
We bent and cut and sprang to our feet； and dashed for the wall。 There was a s