That head was not the only moving thing in the cell. One skeleton raised its long, trembling arm and pointed at them; another’s legs rattled across the floor. And a fourth one seemed to spring up all at once, as though it had dozens of loose bones, and hurl itself with a clatter into one corner. It lay there a scattered heap, with only one lone white rib to mark the place where it had been.
That was the way it seemed to the yearlings; of course, they did not see the black threads that ran through cracks in the door, where the six could stand and jerk them at their pleasure.
It was all over a moment later. The four heard a knob turn, and then, to their amazement, saw the iron door, which they had thought would never open on them alive, swing back and let in a flood of glorious light. And an instant later the familiar and even welcome figure of Mallory came in.
He stepped up to each and quickly cut the ropes that hound them. And when all four were free he stepped back and gazed at them. As for them, they never moved a muscle, but stared at him in consternation and confusion.
“Come out, gentlemen,” said Mark. “Come out and make yourselves at home.”
That voice was real, anyway, thank Heaven for that! The four had not yet succeeded in recovering their wits enough to realize the state of affairs. They followed Mark mechanically, though they were scarcely able to stand. They found themselves in the well-lit and furnished apartment, the rest of their enemies bowing cordially. Then indeed they began to realize the hoax, its success, the way they had been fooled! And they staggered back against the wall.
The silence lasted a minute at least, and then Mark stepped forward.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “I hope you understand why we did this. It may seem cruel, but we could think of no other way of bringing you to your senses. We could have done much more if we had wanted to; but, we trust this will be a lesson that——”
“Confound you!” snarled Bull.
“Steady,” said Mark, smiling, “or in there you go again.”