The Dare Boys with General GreeneCox, Stephen Angus Douglas
History
The Dare Boys with General Greene
Cox, Stephen Angus Douglas
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Juvenile fiction
Dick did not get to sleep. In fact, he began trying to get his hands
free, for he was eager to make his escape and go on his way to carry the
news to General Greene.
Gurley had tied his wrists so securely he could not get them free,
however, and finally the youth gave up the attempt, and eventually
slept.
Next morning Gurley cooked some corn cakes and potatoes for breakfast,
and after he had eaten, he untied Dick’s wrists and gave him some of the
food. Then he bound the youth’s wrists again, but not so tightly as
before, for the reason that Dick held his wrists in such a manner that
he could move them into a different position and the rope would be
loosened somewhat.
An hour or so later Gurley said he was going away, and did not know how
long he would be gone. “As I can’t fasten the door,” he went on, “I will
tie yer feet, an’ then ye won’t be able to git away while I’m gone.”
He got another piece of rope and bound Dick’s ankles, and then took his
departure.
As soon as he was sure that Gurley was gone, Dick began working at the
rope binding his wrists. If he could get his wrists free, the rope about
his ankles could be quickly loosened.
He worked hard at the rope binding his wrists, but was unable to make
much headway. The knots were tight, and the rope would not stretch. He
kept at it, however, and was pulling and tugging at a great rate, when
there was a thump against the door, and it flew open and into the room
came a huge timber wolf.
At sight of the animal, Dick’s heart sank, and a feeling akin to fear
took hold upon him. It was not pleasant to be lying there, bound hand
and foot, and a huge, hungry wolf sniffing about within a few feet of
him.
Dick guessed that the wolf had been attracted by the smell of the food
Gurley had cooked for breakfast, and that the animal was hungry was
evident by the way it nosed around for edibles, and snapped up several
small scraps of food that had fallen on the floor.
Then, presently the wolf approached the bunk, in which Dick was lying,
and sniffed at him. Dick lay absolutely still, till he felt the animal’s
nose against his leg, and then, fearing he might be bitten, he gave his
leg a jerk, and yelled at the wolf: “Get out of here! Go away!”
The wolf was startled into a snarl of surprise and fright, and leaped
backward to the middle of the floor, where it stood, glaring at Dick,
its eyes looking vicious indeed, its bared teeth showing.
Again Dick yelled at the animal, and moved his legs in a threatening
manner, and the wolf shrank back somewhat, but after a few moments no
harm coming to him it began moving slowly forward, growling and showing
its teeth.
Dick realized that he was in great danger, for the wolf was a big
fellow, indeed, and would have given the youth a good fight, even had
his hands and feet been free. As it was, with both hands and feet tied,
Dick felt that the chances were that he would be chewed up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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