Then he was forced to crawl through a piano box that was filled with sawdust.

He was pushed and pulled and hammered and thumped till he was sore in every part of his body.
All through this ordeal not a word or murmur escaped his lips.

His teeth were set, and he felt that he had rather die than utter a sound that betrayed pain or agitation.
This seemed to infuriate his assailants.

They banged him about till he could scarcely stand, and then, of a sudden, there was a great hush, while a terrible voice croaked: "Bring forth the guillotine!" There was a bustle, and then the bandage was stripped from Frank's eyes, he was tripped up, and a second later found himself lying helpless with his neck in the socket of a mock guillotine.

Above him was suspended a huge gleaming knife that seemed to tremble, as if about to fall.