"Easy. Just you wait, and when I tell you what to do, go ahead."
With that he started operations. By breaking off the smaller branches one at a time, he gradually weakened the network that was binding the prisoner. Every obstacle, however small, that was removed, made things easier. And finally Jerry gave a pull at the imprisoned boy.
Andy let out a howl of pain, but all the same he came free.
"My arm!"
"I'm going to look at that now, right away. If it is broken the sooner you get back to Centerville and see a doctor the better; but, somehow, I've got a notion it's only badly bruised. Here, bend it back, so I can slip it out of the sleeve."
With much misgiving and many exclamations of agony, Andy did as he was told. The other then examined it from one end to the other.
"Talk to me about luck, you've got cause to be mighty thankful, Andy.
There are a lot of bruises here, but no bones broken," declared Jerry.
"Sure you ain't mistaken, Jerry—'cause it's awful sore?" groaned the other, and yet there was a trace of gratitude in his voice.
"Make up your mind it's so. Now, the question is what are we going to do the rest of the night? I was in a hollow tree, but there isn't room for two. Might manage to make a fire somehow, and stand it out. Think you can walk now, Andy?"
Jerry unconsciously thrust a supporting arm around the waist of the other, and steadied his steps as they moved slowly off. In so doing he was heaping coals of fire upon the head of his adversary. Andy grunted now and then as some jolt gave him new pain; but on the whole he was very quiet. Perhaps his mind was busy and his conscience working overtime.