The ape-man repeated the operations. Harry Vincent could feel the tightening of his arms.
"What about it?" he asked grimly, turning his head toward the Englishman. "Shall we shout and let the beast choke us?"
"Carry on a bit," replied the major.
* * *
The ape-faced man moved slowly from one side of the table to the other, pausing in between to stare over the end of the rack and view the faces of his victims. The roller had pulled the chains taut now; the next turn of the winch brought a groan of agony from Harry. The Englishman caught his breath as the winch on his side was turned.
"I'm going to shout," groaned Harry, "while I have strength."
He saw the hideous face of the ape-man grinning down upon him. He opened his mouth for the cry that would bring death. Strangulation would be pleasant as a relief from this torture.
But before Harry could shout, he saw the monster raise its head and snarl. It was looking at something at the foot of the rack. It seemed about to spring over the bodies of the prisoners.
There, at the foot of the table, stood a black-robed figure that completed the sinister aspect of this torture chamber. It was like some dark phantom of the past, a veritable inquisitor of the Middle Ages. Its face was hidden by its robes, but through the black coverings one could feel the piercing dagger of two eyes — eyes that burned.
The ape-man did not leap upon the table. Instead he ran around to the side, snarling as he approached the opposite end. Then, from the black-robed form came a hissing whistle — the signal which the monster had been taught to obey. Jupe stopped and crouched beside the table.