Year: 1877

,.ouple of the party soon brought in
pame enough to afford them gen
erous supper. This cooked and par
taken of, they all laid down to rest,
Dick with a savage on either side of
him, so close that he could not stir
without their being aware of the
motion; and as an extra precautioE
they had bound his feet as tightly
as his wrists, and the prisoners heart
began to sink within him as it had
not done before; for he saw, while
thus bound, no possible way for es-
cape offered to him.


A couple of hours passed and
Dick had not closed his eyes. One
after another of the savages dropped
off, as he knew by their hard, regu
lar breathing, until at las the was the
only one OF the group who was not
asleep. Oh! if his hands were only
free. how soon he would be at liberty
again. He pulled upon the thongs
with all his power until they cut
deep into the flesh like the keen edge
of a knife; and at last, to his great
iov, he found that the knot that
held his left hand had slipped lit
tie. Another strain, and it moved a
little further, aud with another ii
parted so far that, with a trihing ex-
ertion, he pulled his hand through.
The savage lying on the left side of
him moved, and Dick lay perfectly
motionless, almost holding his breath,
with his hand under him in the same
position as when confined; but the
Indian only stretched himself and
then was off to sleep again. Dick
now went to work to free the other
hand; hut the knot was drawn so
hard, that even with the help of the
other he found it impossible to do
so. He remembered his pocket-knife,
and that he had given it to his boy
to play with upon going out to work
the afternoon of his captivity. If he
had it now, how quick he would be
a free man,


The moon had risen and was shln-
ing down through the branches of
the trees, and he saw its rays glitter
ing on the blade of knife in the
belt of the savage that had 50 recent
ly moved. 1t was a desperate un-
dertakins, but his situation required
desperate measures. With the ut
most caution he stretched out his
liberated hand and slowly drew the
knife from its resting place. The
Indian never stirred, and his deep
breathing told Dick that he was
sleeping soundly. A moment more
and he was lying with his limbs free,
and none of the savages wiser for
his motions.


Now came the most difficult part
of the operation; to rise to his feet,
and get beyond the confines OF the
campfire without awakening any of
his captors.


But Dick proved equal to the
emergency. Slowly, and with the
utmost caution, he rose upon his
hands and knees. The swapping of
a twig he knew would beLray him
to the watchful ears of those
about him. On his feet at last he
stepped over the savage whose knife
he held in his hand, and slowly ap-
preached the Indian, by whose side
his rifle was lying. That he did not
mean to leave behind, as he would
need it for his own protection and to
procure food with before he would
regain the settlement. STOPPING
down, his hand was upon it, when
the savage, awakened by the slight
motion he had made, essayed to
spring to his feet. The action cost
him his life; for Dick plunged the
knife he still held in his hand INTO
his breast, and he fell back with a
deep groan.


All caution was now needles, for
every savage was awakened, and
snatching up his rifle Dick sprang
out into the forest, followed by
war whoop from the lips of every
redskin.


A moment only was required to
show them the situation, and shake
off the sleep that hung heavy OH
their eyelids. They saw their dead
comrade on the ground, and ca ught
a glimpse of their prisoner as he
sprang away. Then, with another
fierce war whoop breaking from
their throats, they started in pursuit.


Dicks blood ran cold as he heard
the shouts that rang through the for
est; and well he knew that if he
again fell into their hands he need
expect no mercy, for they would
avenge the death of their comrade
by the most tiendish tortures. With
only a few PAGES the start he knew
that he had not much chance of es-
cape, but slim as it was he deter
mined to make the best possible use
of it.


For half mile about the same
distance was kept between them,
and then, in spite of all his efforts,
they gained upon him, and he knew
that in a few moments more he
would be in their power unless he
could manage to deceive them in
some manner and get them on anoth-
er track.


The part Of the forest he was now
in was very dense, SO that only a
few struggling moonbeams found
their way through the tree-tops.
No Indian was yet in sight, though
they were scattered on every side Of
him through the forest, trusting
more to the sense Of hearing than to
following the trail made. A large
tree lay on the ground before him,
and as he passed the trunk he saw a
cavity sufficiently large for him to
to force his body into it.


Here was the hiding place he
sought, and he at once availed him
self of it. Placing his rifle in before
him he forced his way in for a dis
tance Of perhaps twenty feet, where
he lay perfectly quiet although al
most afraid the beating of his heart
would betray him.


Hardly was he safely esconced
when he heard the footsteps of the
Indians as theY hurried by, In a