Hope lending him strength, he clutched at the projection, to find that he was able to hang there for a short time. He had, at the same moment, the presence of mind not to allow the rope to slacken, and by holding on the ledge with one hand, he held firmly on the line with the other, managing to keep it straight.
In a moment the men stopped lowering the rope, when the voice of their leader demanded:
"Air ye ready now?"
"No! Do your worst; I will never yield!"
Little Snap was really anxious to bring about a crisis now, knowing he could not remain in his position long.
"Let him go!" cried Bird Burrnock. "We can't fool with him. We can trade with Shag."
"Dix Lewis, th' consequence o' this is on yer own head. Good-by."
The next moment the men let go the rope, when it went down with a rattling sound. At the same time, in order to keep up the deception, the imperiled boy uttered a piercing scream, which rang through and through the subterranean passages with a startling effect, echo after echo succeeding it, until it seemed they would never end.
"He's done fer fas' 'nough," declared Buzzard Burrnock, peering into the dark depths with a hasty glance, as if frightened at the place.
A minute later Little Snap drew a breath of relief as he listened to the sound of their retreating footsteps.