_You_, with all respect to you, would have died a frightful death in that black prison.
Pee-wee Harris, scout, tore his handkerchief from around his cut finger, unscrewed the cap of the radiator, dipped his handkerchief into the hole, bit off two small pieces of the warm, dripping cloth, and stuffed them into his ears.

The wet handkerchief he stuffed into his mouth.

And so Scout Harris gained a few precious moments, _only a few_, in which to make a desperate effort to find a way out! You would have forgotten about the radiator full of water, I dare say....
Roy Blakeley (Silver Fox Patrol and not in this story, thank goodness) said, long after these adventures were over, that a handkerchief stuffed in Pee-wee's mouth was a good idea and that it was a pity it had been removed.

But Pee-wee Harris was a scout, he was a couple of scouts, and he saved his life by scout law and knowledge.

And there you are.
Acting quickly he now groped his way around to the rear of the car.