He laid his fingertips on it, as though feeling for a pulse.

After an hour, except for a few more finger-size loops, all Maniac had to show for his trouble were the flakes of knot crust that covered the table.

They brought out the official square wooden table for the challenger to stand on, and from the moment Maniac climbed up, you could tell the knot was in big trouble.

And there stood Maniac, turning the knot, checking it out.