Then the clouds again swallowed the lamp of night, and darkness covered everything.
With a sigh of relief Joshua told himself that he had seen the flying Ephraim and that, come what might, the escaping youth had gained a considerable start of his pursuers.
But the latter neither remained inert nor allowed themselves to be deceived; for though, to mislead them, he had shouted loudly: "A jackal!" they uttered a long, shrill whistle, which roused their sleeping comrades.

A few seconds later the chief warder stood before him with a burning torch, threw its light on his face, and sighed with relief when he saw him.

Not in vain had he bound him with double ropes; for he would have been called to a severe reckoning at home had this particular man escaped.
But while he was feeling the ropes on the prisoner's arms, the glare of the burning torch, which lighted him, fell on the fugitive's rude, deserted couch.

There, as if in mockery, lay the gnawed rope.

Taking it up, he flung it at Joshua's feet, blew his whistle again and again, and shouted: "Escaped! The Hebrew! Young Curly-head!" Paying no farther heed to Joshua, he began the pursuit.