The remark caused Squeaky to turn his head, and in that brief instant Percy slipped the knife he happened to be wiping into his high boot, snatched up another, and in a perfectly unconcerned manner went on rubbing away with the dish-rag.
“No,” said our unsuspecting proprietor, “he’s all right. Come, hurry up. I’ve no time to waste.”
Our task completed, Squeaky instructed Bates to cut off a length from one of our picket-ropes, which being done he unravelled the piece, and taking a couple of strands he tied Percy’s arms behind him just above the elbows. Having performed the same office for me, he stood for a while contemplating the result.
“Put your hands in front of you,” he commanded.
We obeyed, to find that our finger-tips would just meet. Squeaky shook his head.
“Won’t do,” said he. “You might untie each other. I may as well make a good job of it while I’m about it. It’ll be a bit uncomfortable, but it won’t be for very long. I guess you’ll have to stand it.”
With that he took two more strands of the rope, and tied our wrists together behind us. Once more he examined his handiwork, and this time appeared to be satisfied.
“That’ll do,” said he. “Now get into your cabin.”
Having driven us in, like a couple of sheep, he fastened the hide over the doorway, and left us, with the information that he would be back in about two hours; unless, indeed, he should happen to get sight of Jack prowling around, in which case it might take him another two hours to stalk and shoot him. It was a horrid suggestion, expressed in his usual matter-of-fact way, and we did not doubt he meant it. It filled us with anxiety. We heartily wished we had never consented to Jack’s proposition that he should try to follow our trail. Our only comfort was in the thought that Jack was fully aware of the risk he ran, and that he would take every precaution—for our sakes as well as his own.
Standing close to the doorway, listening intently, we heard Squeaky giving instructions to Bates, and directly afterwards the clatter of hoofs proclaimed that he had ridden off.