t a firm hold on the end of the handle with his
teeth, struggled again to a sitting position, drew his knees up as far as
possible, and bending low between them, began stabbing at the
handkerchief about his ankles with the point of the weapon.

At the first attempt the knife barely touched the handkerchief. He tried
again, and just reached it. Throwing his head far back, to gain momentum,
he lunged forward with all his strength. The keen point struck the linen
squarely, there was a rip and tear--and his feet were free.

As the severed handkerchief fell from his ankles, the dagger, slipping
from Jack's teeth, clattered to the floor. But the noisy discussion still
going on without prevented its being heard; and promptly Jack turned to
the problem of freeing his hands.

As they were tied behind him, this promised to be far more difficult.
Indeed Jack's courage was beginning to fail him, when the method of
freeing his ankles suggested a possibility. At once he essayed it. Rising
to a kneeling position, he strained at his wrists for several minutes,
then, bending far over, began working his hands down beneath him.

It seemed as though they would never come, and again and again he had to
pause for breath. Desperately he continued, and suddenly at last they
slipped, and were under him, directly below his knees.

Throwing himself over on his side, he once more grasped the dagger hilt
in his teeth, and as he lay, carefully aimed the point between his legs
at the cord about his wrists, and gave a quick, hard thrust. At the first
blow he struck the cord fairly, but only half severed the strand. Again
he lunged, and the next moment he was free.

The heated debate was still in progress in the outer room, and nearly
exhausted though he was, Jack immediately scrambled to his feet and
tiptoed to the window. To his joy he discovered it was made of a sliding
frame, only fastened by a loosely-driven nail. It required but a few
minutes' work to remove this, and very cautiously he began sliding the
window back.

Half way it went easily, without noise. Then it stuck. Carefully Jack put
his shoulder to it. Suddenly, without warning, it gave, then stopped with
a jar, and to his horror a broken pane shot from the frame and fell
clattering to the floor.

From the other room came a shout and a rush of feet. In desperation Jack
stepped back, and with a run fairly dove at the opening. His head and
shoulders passed through, then he stuck. Be