Not the
slightest sound reached our ears through the profound darkness;
utter, intense silence. Finally I reached over and touched Harry
on the shoulder, and arose to my knees.
"Good enough! We're alone. We'll have to crawl for it. Keep
close behind me; we don't want to get separated. The first thing
is to find a sharp stone to cut through these thongs. Feel on the
ground with your hands as we go."
It was not easy to rise at all, and still harder to make any
progress, for our ankles were bound together most effectively;
but we managed somehow to drag ourselves along. I was in front;
suddenly I felt Harry pull at my coat, and turned.
"Just the thing, Paul. Sharp as a knife. Look!"
I groped for his hand in the darkness and took from it the object
he held out to me--a small flat stone with a sharp-saw edge.
"All right; let me work on you first."
I bent down to the thongs which bound his ankles. I was
convinced that they were not of leather, but they were tough as
the thickest hide. Twice my overeagerness caused the tool to slip
and tear the skin from my hand; then I went about it more
carefully with a muttered oath.
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