"
"Do you think there is any chance of our getting away?" Percy asked,
after a pause.
"I should say not the least in the world, Percy. My hands are
fastened so tight now that the ropes seem cutting into my wrists,
and after they had set me on my feet and cut the cords of my legs
I could scarcely stand at first, my feet were so numbed by the
pressure. However, we must keep up our pluck. Possibly they may
keep us at Canton for a bit, and if they do the squadron may arrive
and fight its way past the forts and take the city before they have
quite made up their minds as to what kind of death will be most
appropriate to the occasion. I wonder what they are doing now? They
seem to be chopping sticks."
"I wish they would give us some water," Percy said. "I am frightfully
thirsty."
"And so am I, Percy; there is one comfort, they won't let us die
of thirst, they could get no satisfaction out of our deaths now."
Two hours later some of the Chinese re-entered the room and led
the captives outside, and the lads then saw what was the meaning of
the noise they had heard. A cage had been manufactured of strong
bamboos. It was about four and a half feet long, four feet wide, and
less than three feet high; above it was fastened two long bamboos.
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