ld of a couple of rifles and take
them by surprise, so as to clear off four or five before they could get
fairly on their legs, I had little doubt that we could manage the rest.
No doubt they would shut the door as it got later, and it was possible
that the row might not be heard. If that was managed, I was sure we
could crawl through the lines, and get off. Yes, it was straightforward
enough if we could but get rid of our cords. As I was thinking it over,
my eye fell upon the pan of water. An idea came across me. "I don't
know, Rube, that it would stretch them enough to slip our hands out, but
if we could wet these hide thongs by dipping them in water, we might
stretch them a bit, anyhow, and ease them." "That would be something,
Seth, anyhow." We shuffled by turn, next to the pan, and leant back so
that our wrists were fairly in the water. The water relieved the pain,
and I could feel the thongs give a little, but it was only a little;
they had been tied too carefully and well, to render it possible to
unloose them. We came to this conclusion after an hour's straining, and
at the cost of no little pain. We agreed it was no use, and sat thinking
over what was the next thing to do, and taking it by turns to cool our
wrists. We did not altogether give up hope, as we agreed that we must
try, in the short intervals between the visits of the Mexicans, to untie
the knots of each other's cords with our teeth. It was possible,
anyhow, for the knots would draw pretty easy now that the leather was
wet. Suddenly an idea struck me. I squeezed myself back to the wall, and
leant against it. "It's all right, Rube," said I; "our cords are as good
as off." "How's that?" said Rube. "This wall is made of rough stones,
Rube, and there are plenty of sharp edges sticking out through the mud.
They will cut through these wet thongs like knives." "Hoorah!" shouted
Rube at the top of his voice, with a yell that startled the Mexicans
from their seats again, and then he commenced thundering out one of the
songs the soldiers used to sing on the march. Several Mexicans came
running up from the camp to ask if anything was the matter, Rube's yell
having reached their ears. They were told it was only those mad
Americanos amusing themselves, and with many angry threats of the
different sort of yells we should give next day, they sauntered off
again. "That's rather a good thing," Rube said to me when he stopped
making a noise. "If any sound of the little