Year: 1877

Dick was on the point of emerging
from bis hiding place, when he was
startled by the sound of foot-step
above his head. An Indian was
walking along the trunk and he
could hardly fail to discover the
cavity, and the signs he made in
forcing an entrance to his bidino
place. The settler again gave wa1
to despair, which was augmented q
moment after by the savage giving
a shrill whoop to call his compan7
ions. Then he knew too well that
his retreat was discovered, but ne
lay perfectly quiet, hoping against
his better judgment that he might
yet succeed in escaping.


In few moments he knew by
the sound of feet that, that the saw
ages were altogether, and he heard
consultation, not one word of
which could he understand, but he
was not long left in suspense as to
what they had agreed upon. He
heard some at work at the entran ce
of the trunk, while others were
heaping brushwood above him; and
he knew by this that the savages in
tended burning him alive inside the
tree.


To describe the terrible agony
that convulsed the heart of the set
tier, as he became aware of the OBJ
ject of his enemies, is more than
pen can do. He was not afraid to-
die, but death from fire is one from
which the bravest would shrink.
There was no chance of dying by
Suffocation, for the tree was full of
seams that admitted the air. No,
death would not come to his relief
until the red flames should wrap his
body like a winding sheet. And
this would not be done. Hours
must elapse before the flames would
reach him. The tree was a resin
Gus pine, and would burn briskly for
awhile on the outside, but the interi-
or of the trunk was damp and
would not catch so readily. The
torture would be more prolonged.
Death was sure to come at last, but
not till it had been experienced, as
it were, dozen times by the unfor-
tunate man within.


Higher and higher leaped the red
flames as the dry brushwood was
heaped upon the glowing pile. Like
so many spirits of evil the red de-
mons worked at their terrible task.
To avenge their comrade was grimly
in their minds; and as the minutes
went on they listened for some
shrek to come from the flames to
delight their savage hearts.


And our friend in his fiery prison,
how he bore the terrible ordeal? AL
ready he could feel the heat and in
few moments more it would be in
supportable. Once he had tried to
escape from his shell, but he found
the entrance had been so securely
closed that it was impossible. Death
by their arrows would, he thought,
have been better than by the flames;
but this was denied him. Hotter
and hotter it became, until he felt
singing on his leg as he lay upon
his side.


A place had burned through, and
now the terrible tortue had begun.
The end was not now far away, and
with thoughts of his wife and child
ren uppermost in his mind, he waited
for death. Higher and higher rose
the red flames as the savages worked
steadily for the death of their vic
tim; but it was so fated that theirs
was to be accomplished first.


A loud report and voley of bull
lets came ringing through the leaves
and the five savages fell to rise no
more. The next moment a dozen of
Dicks neighbors from the settle
ment, who had been in pursuit all
the past night, rushed forward and
an exclamation of disappointment
fell from their lips as they saw moth
ing of the object of their search. At
that instant the report of a rifle
rang out as if from the center of the
fire, startling them back pace; but
the next moment one of them who
had been examining the end of the
tree, that as yet was untouched by
the fire, exclaimed:


'Quick, boys! tear away the fire;
he's in this trunk, and the red skins
were roasting him alive"


With a will the brands were scat
tered in the forest and in few mo-
ments Dick was hauled out more
dead than alive, though not much
burned; and afterward whenever he
told his story, he always said that
his rifle saved his life, the heat caus
ing it to be discharged just at the
right moment.