Two of the men picked Dick up, while another held the sack open and drew it over his feet. The boy came up, and Dick felt a keen bladed knife put between his hands and for an instant saw the face of the boy.
"Here, get out of the way!"
"Hold him steady, Jeb!"
"Don't be so long there with that sack!"
"Hurry up, there, he's as heavy as lead!"
The sack was drawn up over Dick's head and tied tight with a stout rope, the men then carrying him between them to the end of the passage and up some steps. One or two tested the rope to see that it was all right and then the men holding Dick gave the sack a swing or two and cast it well out upon the water, where it struck with a splash and then sank. Dick could hold his breath for nearly two minutes and he knew that he would not need all that. While the men were swinging him he clutched the handle of the knife, turned the blade down and began to cut through the sack. When he began to sink he moved his hands toward his head and cut a straight gash in the sack. Then he moved his hands the other way and began to kick vigorously, so as to loosen the sack. Then, as he began to think he could hold his breath no longer, he felt himself rising, the sack fell away from him, and in a few moments he shot up to the surface alongside some huge object which he recognized as the hull of a vessel. Then he lay on his back and floated, and, holding the knife in his teeth, cut the cords that bound his wrists and his hands were free.
Swimming noiselessly alongside the vessel, which was anchored in the river, he reached the fore chains. He was now free to use both hands and feet, and the next thing to do was to get to shore. He had his knife which Tom had given him and this he resolved to keep till he was safely out of all his dangers. Making his way around the anchored vessel, he set out for shore, guided by the few lights along the water and in the taverns. Suddenly he heard the sound of oars and then of voices.
"How did he get hold of a knife?" asked Hughson.
"I dunno, but he'll have to float and we ought to find him," replied Jeb.
The sack had been drawn ashore, and the slash in it discovered and now the men were trying to find Dick. The boat was coming directly toward him, and in a few moments he could distinguish its outlines dimly and see the forms of three men in it rowing directly toward him. Then he sank well down and swam right under the boat, coming up a yard or so beyond it as it went on toward the middle of the river.