TOM'S STRATEGY 



time so as to give his actions a semblance of re- 

 ality, Jack began to nod in his chair, and finally 

 let his head drop against the back of his seat, very 

 naturally, but in a position that would enable 

 him, through nearly closed eyes, to watch every 

 move of the prisoner; and then the Irishman be- 

 gan to snore. Tom and I responded by doing our 

 share of hard breathing, and now the captive be- 

 gan to show some signs of life. 



In the dim light I could see him — silhouetted 

 against the white wagon cover — leaning over to 

 his left and working his right arm as if slipping 

 the hand out of the loop that held it to the wheel. 

 When that hand was free he resumed his original 

 position, kept perfectly still for a moment, and, 

 when apparently assured that we were all still 

 asleep, he dropped his free right hand slowly to 

 his waist and carried the hand to his mouth, evi- 

 dently having drawn his pocket-knife and opened 

 a blade with his teeth. Instead of untying the 

 bonds on his other hand and ankles he had con- 

 cluded that the quickest and quietest way was to 

 cut them. 



After replacing his right hand in its former po- 

 sition on the wheel, watching Jack closely for a 

 moment, and listening intently to our steady, hard 

 breathing, he quietly reached over with the knife 

 in his free hand and cut the string that held his left 

 wrist to the wheel; then replacing both hands on 

 the wheel again for a moment as if tied, he looked 



79 



