John Marsh is hogtied with rope at the bottom of a pit that is mostly full of mud. The mud level is low enough that John cannot get out of the pit with his wrists and ankles bound behind him. He can barely move around, but he makes a Herculean effort to roll around and attempt to free himself. He even manages to turn completely around, so his head is where his feet started out, but it is of no use because he simply cannot get out of the pit.