The Boy from the Ranch; Or, Roy Bradner's City ExperiencesWebster, Frank V.
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The Boy from the Ranch; Or, Roy Bradner's City Experiences
Webster, Frank V.
City and town life -- Juvenile fiction; Mystery and detective stories; Ranch life -- Juvenile fiction; Thieves -- Juvenile fiction
"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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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