All was silent.
He put out his hand, groping for the object which had been the cause of his tumble.
When finally he touched it a peculiar sensation flashed over him from head to foot, for in truth it was a human being.
Could the man be dead?
Had there been some drunken dispute between the guards resulting in a tragedy?
He remembered the peculiar actions of the man who now lay bound near by.
Bending over the second fellow he speedily made a discovery of some moment.
A strong scent of liquor greeted him and his hand came upon the flask still clutched in the miserable guard's hand.
Where he got it, and why the second man did not take his share were puzzling questions which Roderic only shook his head over.