“C-O-U-G-H O-N-C-E I-F Y-O-U A-R-E T-I-E-D.”
Jack coughed once.
“O-N-C-E F-O-R Y-E-S; T-W-I-C-E, N-O. C-A-N Y-O-U G-E-T F-R-E-E?”
Jack coughed twice.
“I-S D-O-O-R L-O-C-K-E-D W-I-T-H A B-O-L-T?”
Jack coughed once.
“W-A-I-T.”
It seemed to the boy that it was several hours before he heard the tapping again but in reality it was probably not much more than a half hour.
“N-O W-A-Y T-O G-E-T I-N B-U-T D-O-O-R? C-A-N YO-U S-L-I-P B-O-L-T?” Jack coughed twice.
“M-U-S-T C-U-T, W-A-I-T.”