After a few moments of dangling from the rope, Cole began to kick vigorously. Jack was tempted to let go, but the tremors coming down Cole's legs reminded him of what he'd felt in the rope when poor Dick had been dragged down beneath the river, and he held on by imagining that this was some kind of vengeance. Bob must've had the same phant'sy, for both boys gripped their respective legs like stranglers until Cole finally went limp. When they realized he was pissing himself, they both let go at once and tumbled into the fœtid dust below the gibbet. There was applause from the crowd. Before they'd had time to dust themselves off, they were approached by the sister of the one remaining condemned man – also a slow-hanging wretch, by his looks – who offered them cash money to perform the same service. The coins were clipped, worn, and blackened, but they were coins.