e
lounged out of the hut to his usual seat.

Charlie waited a short time, then went to the pile of logs, and
picked out a straight stick about a yard long and two inches in
diameter. With one of the heavier ones he could have killed the
man, but the fellow was only acting under the orders of his
employer, and, although he would doubtless, at Ben Soloman's
commands, have roasted him alive without compunction, he had not
behaved with any unkindness, and had, indeed, seemed to do his best
for him.

Taking the stick, he went to the door. He trod lightly, but in the
stillness of the forest the man heard him, and glanced round as he
came out.

Seeing the stick in his hand he leaped up, exclaiming, "You young
fool!" and sprang towards him.

He had scarce time to feel surprise, as Charlie quickly raised the
club. It described a swift sweep, fell full on his head, and he
dropped to the ground as if shot.

Charlie ran in again, seized a coil of rope, bound his hands and
feet securely, and dragged him into the hut. Then he dashed some
cold water on his face. The man opened his eyes, and tried to move.

"You are too tightly bound to move, Pauloff," he said. "I could
have killed you if I had chosen, but I did not wish to. You have
not been unkind to me, and I owe you no grudge; but tell your
rascally employer that I will be even with him, someday, for the
evil he has done me."

"You might as well have killed me," the man said, "for he will do
so when he finds I let you escape."

"Then my advice to you is, be beforehand with him. You are as
strong a man as he is, and if I were in your place, and a man who
meant to kill me came into a lonely hut like this, I would take
precious good care that he had no chance of carrying out his
intentions."

Charlie then took two loaves of black bread and a portion of goat's
flesh from the cupboard; found a bottle about a quarter full of
coarse spirits, filled it up with water and put it in his pocket,
and then, after taking possession of the long knife his captive
wore in his belt, went out of the hut and closed the door behind
him.

He had purposely moved slowly about the hut, as he made these
preparations, in order that the Jew should believe that he was
still weak; but, indeed, the effort of dragging the man into the
hut had severely taxed his strength, and he found that he was much
weaker than he had supposed.

The hut stood in a very small clearing, and Charlie had no
difficu