They were reduced to stifled sighs, to grunts emitted over and under their gags, to everything that betrayed anger kept dumb and fury imprisoned, or rather bound down.

Then after many fruitless efforts they remained for some time as though lifeless.

Then as the sense of sight was denied them they tried by their sense of hearing to obtain some indication of the nature of this disquieting state of things.

But in vain did they seek for any other sound than an interminable and inexplicable f-r-r-r which seemed to envelop them in a quivering atmosphere.
At last something happened.

Phil Evans, regaining his coolness, managed to slacken the cord which bound his wrists.