back contents forward {{frabfp229.png}} || eagles of the sky || ocr> free from that binding rope which" had been fix> free from that binding rope which had been wound around and around his ankles in many coils and then knotted half a dozen times. Perk ocr> 'found it hard to realize this puzzling fact, but fix> found it hard to realize this puzzling fact, but just the same he knew it must be the truth. He proceeded to continue his rolling process with additional vim, partly because he now knew the other could not get a chance to whack him again with both hands handcuffed--for that was what had actually occurred and it proved his first surmise--that hard metal had come in contact with his cranium. Presently it came about that Perk was enabled to clutch the throat of his antagonist and for the second time close his fingers on his larynx, shutting ocr> off his wind completely and causing history; fix> off his wind completely and causing history to repeat itself. The fellow gave up immediately, thus hoping Perk would diminish that paralyzing grip which the other condescended to do. When this had been carried through Perk made up his mind not to trust to a rope again--in the first place he had no rope and even if this were not the case he had for the time being lost all confidence in ropes as restraining agents. He remembered he had a second pair of steel bracelets in one of his pockets, having fetched two pair along with the idea they might have to [[229]] back contents forward