Bob, however, did not waste a great deal of time in thinking about Tom Newcombe. He was too much interested in his own affairs just then; and scarcely had Sam disappeared, when he straightened up, and began to test the strength of the rope with which his hands were bound. It proved to be much too strong for him to break, but the knot, having been loosely tied, slipped a little, and that gave him encouragement. The dog seemed to understand that he was placed at the door for the purpose of keeping an eye on the prisoner, for every time Bob moved, he would give him notice that he was still wide-awake, by growling savagely. The fisher-boy, however, was not very much afraid of him. Before the light was put out, he had taken pains to examine the chain, which he noticed was sufficiently large and heavy to hold a good sized vessel; and, until the dog became strong enough to break that chain, he was safe. He paid no heed to the warning growls, but devoted all his attention to the work of freeing his arms, which, for a long time, he had hopes of being able to accomplish. But the governor had tied the rope himself, and, although the knot slipped a little at every exertion of strength, he could not loosen it sufficiently to enable him to free his hands. Had he been fresh he might have succeeded; but, besides having done a hard day's work at his wood-pile, he was nearly exhausted by the efforts he had made to escape from the bully, and he began to feel the need of rest. Stretching himself out on the sail, he settled into as comfortable a position as it was possible for him to assume with his hands and feet securely bound, wondered whether his mother was waiting for him at home, and how long the governor intended to keep him a prisoner, and in a moment more was fast asleep. How long he slept he was unable to tell. He was aroused by the growling of the dog, and, after listening a moment, he heard a slight noise outside the cave. Then the board was removed, and he recognized the voice of Sam Barton, ordering the dog to keep silent.
"Bobby Jennings!" said he, as soon as he had succeeded in quieting the brute, "be you there, all safe an' sound?"
"Of course I am!" replied the fisher-boy. "How do you suppose I could be anywhere else after you have tied me hand and foot, and put a dog at the door to guard me?"