The man lunged over backwards, rolled to his belly and tried to push himself to his hands and knees.
Joel kicked him behind the ear.
The giant's arms collapsed. His face struck the floor and he lay still.
The other prisoners had drawn back against the bunks. There was a minute of stunned silence. Then with whoops of delight they crowded around slapping his back, shaking his hand.
Joel was too surprised to utter a word.
The man who had been throttled, was sitting up massaging his throat. He regarded Joel with a puzzled expression.
"Thanks," he wheezed painfully, "but what made you risk your neck?"
"Risk my neck?"
"You're new, aren't you?" asked the man, pulling himself to his feet and holding out his hand. "I'm Nick Thorp."
Joel introduced himself. Thorp, he saw, was short and husky with prematurely gray hair and blue eyes bright as bits of china.