n the forest. Leave it
standing here. It will find its way back in time. Then there will
be a search, and there will be rejoicing in many a mansion
throughout the country, when it is known that Ben Soloman is dead.
They say he has mortgages on a score of estates, and, though I
suppose these will pass to others of his tribe, they can hardly be
as hard and mercenary as this man was.

"I wonder what he was doing in this forest alone? Let us follow the
path, and see where he is going.

"Honred, you have a smattering of several languages, try then if
you can make our new comrade understand."

The man tried in Russian without success, then he spoke in Swedish,
in which language Charlie at once replied.

"Where does this pathway lead to?"

"To a hut where a charcoal burner lives. I have been imprisoned
there for the last fortnight. It was all the Jew's doing. It was
through him that I got this knock here;" and he pointed to the
unhealed wound at the back of his head.

"Well, we may as well pay them a visit," the chief said, when this
was translated to him. "We are short of flour, and they may have
some there, and maybe something else that will be useful."

Chapter 11: With Brigands.

The man who had spoken to Charlie drew the long knife from the back
of the Jew, wiped it on the grass, and handed it to him.

"That ought to be your property," he said. "It has done you good
service."

Not sorry to have a weapon in addition to his cudgel, Charlie
placed it in his belt, and then started with the bandits. He would
not have cared to face the charcoal burner alone; but now that the
band regarded him as enrolled among their number, he felt no
uneasiness respecting him.

When they issued from the trees, the Jew was seen standing at the
door of the hut. He at once ran in on seeing them, and came out
again, accompanied by the charcoal burner, who carried his axe on
his shoulder. The Jew started, on catching sight of Charlie among
the ranks of the brigands, and said a word or two to his companion.

"Well, Master Charcoal Burner," the leader of the party said, "how
is it that honest woodmen consort with rogues of the town?"

"I don't know that they do so, willingly," the man said gruffly.
"But some of us, to our cost, have put our heads into nooses, and
the rogues of the town have got hold of the other end of the ropes,
and we must just walk as we are told to."

"Well, that is true enough," the brigand said.

"And