After that, if they escaped it would make no difference.

Besides, even if one did escape, the skeletons would easily chase them down. Plus, it would have only been a matter of time before the skeletons would find the escapee or the village anyway, and since all of them submitted he would only need to keep one to guide him.

The prisoner at the front was the only one with one of his hands free, which he used to point which way to go.