tunate hero, whom we left, bound hand and foot, in Pegan
Hill Wood.

CHAPTER XVI

BOUND HAND AND FOOT

Though Harry was a courageous boy, his heart sank within him when he
found himself left alone in the wood, bound hand and foot.

Pegan Hill Woods were of considerable extent. In length they extended
about three miles, while in width they ranged from a mile and a half to
two miles.

Probably the party had penetrated nearly a mile into the wood, and the
tree against which Harry was leaning was not far from the center of the
wood. The constrained position in which he was sitting became, after a
while, somewhat painful. The cords, too, chafed his flesh.

Of course, Harry thought of the possibility of escape. If he could only
unloose the cords he could readily find his way home, reaching there
before anxiety or alarm was excited by his absence.

He set to work upon his task, but found, to his disappointment, that he
had been too securely bound to make this attempt feasible.

The cord was tied again and again in so hard a knot that, even if he had
had the use of both of his hands, he would have found it a work of time
to undo them. But when, in addition, his hands were tied, it became
well-nigh impossible.

He worked until he was tired, and rested, feeling that thus far he had
really accomplished nothing.

"Philip is about the meanest boy I know of," he thought to himself,
bitterly. "I suppose he is triumphing over me, as he has a right to do,
for he has got me into a very awkward scrape."

This consideration was not likely to make him any less uncomfortable,
for Harry had his share of human nature. From Philip his mind reverted
to James Congreve. The more he thought of Congreve, the less he could
understand him. He was certainly a much more gentlemanly boy--or,
rather, young man--than Philip, and our hero disliked him less, though
it was Congreve who had tied him.

"He told Philip to his face that he was a bully, and as much as said
that I had served him right in doing what I did in defense of the two
children. I don't see how he can be a friend of Philip."

Harry had not much knowledge of the world, however, and would have been
surprised to hear that Congreve was more dangerous and unscrupulous, and
altogether bad, than Philip himself, in spite of the latter's unamiable
traits.

After a while Harry made another attempt to loosen the cords; but the
second time