Only MacDougall's face was uncovered.

The others were hidden behind white masks.

The men uttered no sound but ranged themselves like specters in front of the door, their cocked rifles swung into the crooks of their arms.

There was a triumphant leer on MacDougall's lips as he and the jailer approached.

As the whipper bound Neil's hands behind his back he hissed in his ear.
"This will be a better job than the whipping, damn you!" Neil laughed.
"Hear that, Nat ?" he asked, loud enough for all in the cell to hear.
"MacDougall says this will be a better job than the whipping.