“But I’m very impatient.”
This provoked a burst of suppressed, mocking laughter.
“You’ll get a fine lesson in patience to-night,” Tucker was told. “It will do you good.”
“What the dickens is the use to tie those ropes so tight? Old Samson couldn’t get away after being trussed up like this, and I’m no relation to Sam.”
Behind his back one of the captors whispered a hoarse question:
“How long did you say a man could live without food or water, captain?”
“That depends,” was the wheezy answer. “Some live longer and some live shorter. This little runt is one of the kind that lives shorter. He won’t last more than three or four days at most.”
“My golly!” exclaimed Tommy. “Are you going to leave me without anything to eat or drink for three or four days?”
“It’ll be well enough to silence his tongue,” said the wheezy voice. “Art ready, Eros?”
“Sure, Charon,” was the answer.