Still the stone did wear the iron, and he felt sure that, by perseverance, he should succeed in wearing off the burrs.
All day he worked without intermission, holding a rag wrapped round the stone to deaden the sound.

He worked till his fingers ached so that he could no longer hold it, then rested for an hour or two, and resumed his work.

When his guard brought his dinner he asked him when the galley was to sail again.
"It was to have gone today," the man said, "but the captain has been laid up with fever.

He has a leech from Tunis attending him, and, weak as he is, he is so bent on going that he would have had himself carried on board the ship, had not the leech said that, in that case, he would not answer for his life, as in the state his blood is in, his wounds would assuredly mortify did he not remain perfectly quiet.

So he has agreed to delay for three days." Francis was unable to work with the stone at night, for in the stillness the sound might be heard; but for some hours he hacked away with the dagger at the rivets on his manacles.