Two huge revolvers were thrust underneath the belt of the
gaoler, and the lantern-holder, was similarly armed. Lermontoff was
pleased with this, for if the Governor had trusted him entirely, even
though he demanded no verbal parole, it would have gone against his
grain to strike down the chief as he ruthlessly intended to do when
the time was ripe for it, and in any case, he told himself, no matter
how friendly the Governor might be, he had the misfortune to stand
between his prisoner and liberty.
Lermontoff was again taken from his cell about half an hour before the
time he had named for the completion of the charging, and although the
Governor said nothing of his intention, the gaoler and his man brought
to the cell six charged batteries, a coil of wire, and a dozen lamps.
Lermontoff now changed his working methods. He began each night as
soon as he had finished dinner, and worked till nearly morning,
sleeping all day except when interrupted by the gaoler. Jack,
following the example of Robinson Crusoe, attempted to tie knots on
the tail of time by cutting notches with his knife on the leg of the
table, but most days he forgot to perform this operation, and so his
wooden almanac fell hopelessly out of gear. He estimated that he had
been a little more than a week in prison when he heard by the clang of
the bolts that the next cell was to have an occupant.
"I must prepare a welcome for him," he said, and so turned out the
electric light at the end of the long flexible wire.
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