Then they sped in great haste for the door,
and the goat gave a final butt that sent the row of royal ladies all
diving into the corridor in another tangle, whereupon they shrieked
in a manner that terrified everyone within sound of their voices.
As the Room of the Great Knife was now cleared of all but Cap'n
Bill, who was tied in his frame, and of Trot and the moaning
Boolooroo, who lay hidden behind the benches, the goat gave a
victorious bleat and stood in the doorway to face any enemy that
might appear. Trot had been as surprised as anyone at this sudden
change of conditions, but she was quick to take advantage of the
opportunities it afforded. First she ran with her rope to the goat,
and as the animal could not see her, she easily succeeded in tying
the rope around its horns and fastening the loose end to a pillar of
the doorway. Next she hurried to Cap'n Bill and began to unbind him,
and as she touched the sailor she became visible. He nodded
cheerfully, then, and said, "I had a notion it was you, mate, as
saved me from the knife. But it were a pretty close call, an' I hope
it won't happen again. I couldn't shiver much, bein' bound so tight,
but when I'm loose I mean to have jus' one good shiver to relieve my
feelin's."
"Shiver all you want to, Cap'n," she said as she removed the last
bonds. "But first you've got to help me save us both.
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