That, too, was severed in the course of time, and, after a few jerks, the ropes on Patsy’s wrists fell away.
His hands were free, and with them once more fully at his command, he made short work of his gag.
“Chief!” he whispered cautiously, “I’m loose—partly—and I’m going to make a stab at getting you out of here. Are you all right?”
There came a muffled sound in reply to Patsy’s question.
CHAPTER IX.
AN INTERRUPTED ESCAPE.
A pair of hands groped toward the spot from which the sound had come, found Patsy’s arm, and gave it a reassuring pressure.
Nick Carter had answered as well as he was able at the moment.
“Good!” murmured Patsy. “I’ll have you loose in two shakes.”
He felt along Nick’s arms in turn until he came to his chief’s face. Nick’s gag came in for attention first and was quickly removed.
“There now,” Patsy remarked, in the same low tone. “This is a little more like it.”