At last his hand was free.
"Hurrah! so far so good!" he cried lowly. "Now for the other hand."
But this was not so easy, for the knots were hard ones and broke his
finger nails dread-fully.
"If only I could get at them with my teeth," he observed, "I'd soon chew
them apart."
But he could not bend around, and so had to content himself with
working away as before. Soon his fingers grew numb and he had to desist.
"Too bad, but I can't make it!" he groaned.
"Wait a while and give your fingers a rest," returned Sam.
He had begun work on his own fetters, but try his best could make no
material progress. The ropes had cut through the skin in two places and
from these spots the blood was flowing freely.
Two hours went by, and to the boys it seemed an age. Tom had tried his
best to free himself, and now the cords were gradually loosening up.
"I've got it at last!" he cried presently. "Just wait." And a little
later the bonds dropped to the ground. But the work had caused his
finger tips to bleed.
With his hands free, Tom set to work free his feet, and this was not so
difficult, although it also took time.
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