The hut was but a rude affair, somewhat loosely put together. The
beam to which Tom's arms had been bound was not too strongly
jointed to its fellow.
A sudden madness seemed to come upon this man of thews and sinews.
He gave a sudden bound and wrench; he felt the beam give, and
redoubled his efforts; the next moment the whole rafter came bodily
down upon their heads. Tom ducked, and escaped its fall; but it
pinned one of his foes to the ground, and his own hands were
immediately free.
With a bound like that of a tiger, and a roar like that of a
wounded lion, he sprang, or rather flew, at Montacute, flung him
over backwards upon the floor, and pinned him by the throat,
uttering all the while a savage sort of growling sound, like a wild
beast in its fury.
The light was thrown over in this strange melee; the room was
plunged in darkness. The two men upon the floor lay struggling
together in a terrible silence, only broken by Tom's fierce
snarlings, that seemed scarce human. So terrified were the
remaining two men, that they could do nothing for the assistance of
their master; indeed, they hardly knew what was happening to him.
They set up a shouting for aid, half afraid to stir lest the whole
house should come falling about their ears.
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