A DANGEROUS DESCENT
When Roy regained his senses again, he felt much better. He was still
tied down on the bed, and Wakely was sitting near him.
"Well, you were quiet enough," remarked the man with a sneer. "I've
got something here to eat. You can take it, if you don't raise a row."
"Oh, I'll take it," said Roy. He knew if he was to make an effort to
escape, which he fully intended to do, he would need all his strength,
and food was necessary.
"Then, I'll loosen the ropes a bit. But, mind now, no funny work, or
I'll tackle you."
Roy had his own opinion as to how he would fare in a tussel with
Wakely, but he said nothing. The ropes were loosened and the boy
partook of the food. He felt better after it.
It was now dark, and Wakely lighted the gas in the room. Roy wondered
whether it was the same day he had been taken from the hotel, or
whether several had elapsed. It was the same day, as he learned later.
"Now, I'm going to sleep in the next room," went on the man, "and I
warn you I'll awaken at the slightest sound. If you try any
tricks--well, it will be better if you don't. As I said, no harm will
come to you--if you're quiet."
Roy did not answer. He wanted to think out a plan of action. He was
puzzled over the queer situation, and wondering who could have any
object in keeping him a prisoner. He did not associate Caleb Annister
with it.
After the meal Wakely again adjusted the ropes about the boy on the
bed, and Roy offered no objections. He was sure when the time came he
could undo the bonds. For what Roy did not know about tying ropes, to
hold anything from a bucking bronco to a wild steer, was not worth
knowing. He was in a situation now where his life on the ranch was
likely to stand him in good stead.
"You can go to sleep whenever you want to," said Wakely. "But
remember--no tricks!"
Roy did not answer. He wanted to think, and he knew he could do it
best in the dark. Presently Wakely turned off the gas, and withdrew,
again locking the door.
It did not need much listening on Roy's part to show that the man had
spoken the truth about the noises near the tenement. There sounded the
whirr of dynamos, the puffing of steam, the rattle of coal and ashes
down chutes--in short it would have taken a loud voice to make itself
heard above the racket. A better place to keep a prisoner, in the
midst of a great city, could not have been devised.
Nevertheless Roy did not give up hope. He resolved to attempt nothing
that night. He wanted daylight to work by, and he felt that Wakely
could not be with him all the while.
"But if I stay here more than a day or so there's going to be trouble,"
thought the boy. "Dad will write or telegraph me, in answer to my
letter telling about Annister's game, and, if I can't answer him, he'll
get worried. I wish I could understand what this is all about. Maybe
they take me for another person. Well, I can't do anything now. I
must try to sleep. That stuff he gave me makes my head ache. This
shows how foolish I was to trust too much to strangers. When he got me
to look around at that handkerchief he must have put something into my
soda."
Thus musing, Roy fell into a doze. From that he passed into a heavy
sleep, and Wakely, peering in the door a little later, noted with
satisfaction that his prisoner was deep in slumber.
"That's good," he whispered. "I can get some rest myself now. It's no
joke--being on guard all the while. Some of the others of the gang
have got to help out. I must send word to Baker. He's got to take his
share."
Roy felt better the next morning, and ate with relish the breakfast
Wakely brought in, though the meal was not a very good one.
A little while after this his captor went out, and Roy resolved to
attempt to loosen his bonds. It was a hard task, for he could not work
to advantage, but to his delight he found he could gradually undo some
of the knots.
But he did not cast off the ropes. That was not his plan. As long as
he knew he could loosen them at will, he decided to remain as though
bound. This would make Wakely think he was in no position to escape,
and the man would not keep such close watch.
Soon after this voices were heard in the outer room, and Roy knew some
one was with his guard. They did not come into the apartment, and the
boy saw nothing of any one until, at noon, more food was brought to
him. He deemed it inadvisable to attempt to escape now, and resolved
to wait another day.
Night came, supper was brought, and again Roy was locked in. He was
beginning to be very uncomfortable, lying in bed so long.
"I'll slip out the first chance I get to-morrow," he thought. "Right
after breakfast will be a good time."
Fortune favored him. Soon after Wakely had brought in the morning
meal, he went out, locking the door after him. Roy heard another door
close, and guessed rightly that his captor had left the building.
"Now's my chance!" thought the boy.
Putting into operation his knowledge of ropes and knots, and, by using
his strength, which was not small, he managed to loosen his bonds. In
a few minutes he was standing in the middle of the room free.
"Now for the door!" Roy murmured. "I wonder if I can break it open, or
work the lock?"
A moment's inspection served to show him that to open the portal was
out of the question. The lock was a heavy one. The door itself was
solid, not one with panels, and, after trying it cautiously, for Roy
did not want to make a noise, he decided he could not escape that way.
There was only one other means,--the window. He went to it and looked
out. It was fully sixty feet from the ground, and there was nothing,
in the shape of a lightning rod, or a rain-pipe leader to cling to.
Nothing but the bare tenement house wall, broken here and there with
other windows.
Roy leaned far out. He knew it was useless to shout, as the noise from
the electric shop drowned all other sound. Nor could he see any one
whose attention he might attract.
It was necessary for him that he work quickly, for Wakely, or one of
his friends, might return any moment. Yet how could Roy get out of the
window and to the ground?
He looked about the room for something to aid him. His first thought
was of the bed clothes. He had read of persons tying sheets together,
after tearing them into strips, and so making a rope. But there were
no sheets on his bed, merely a small blanket, for it was warm weather.
There was nothing in the shape of a rope in the room. It looked as if
Roy would have to remain a prisoner.
Suddenly an idea came to him as he looked at his large valise which,
with his trunk, had been brought to his room.
"I have it!" he exclaimed. "My lasso! It's long enough!"
It did not take a minute to get it from the valise. It was a long thin
lariat, strong enough to support several pounds, and he knew it would
reach over a hundred feet.
"Lucky I thought to bring that with me," he said, "though Billy Carew
laughed at me, and asked if I expected to rope any steers in the
streets of New York. I guess he didn't figure on this."
It did not take Roy two minutes to fasten one end of the lariat to the
bed, which was the heaviest article in the room. Then he tossed the
other end out of the window, noting that it touched the ground, with
several feet to spare.
"Now for it!" murmured the boy. "It's a dangerous climb, to go down
hand over hand, but I think I can slide it!"
Testing the lasso to make sure it was securely fastened, he put one leg
over the window sill, grasped the lariat with both hands, and swung
himself off.
As he did so he heard the door of his room open, and some one rushed
in. There was a cry of alarm.
"That's Wakely," reasoned Roy. "He's discovered that I'm gone."
An instant later the face of Wakely appeared at the window. He shouted
to Roy:
"Come back here!"
"Not much!"
"Then I'll cut the rope!"
Wakely drew out his knife, but, before he had a chance to use it he was
pulled back, and the face of Mortimer De Royster replaced that of Roy's
late captor.