a week before they find this place,
unless that rascally Jew has heard of it from the woodman, or they
get hold of the fellow himself, though I should think they will
hardly do that. I fancy he has some cause of quarrel with the
authorities, and will not put himself in the way of being
questioned closely, if he can help it."

The next morning when Charlie awoke, two men were standing beside
him. His eyes first fell on the one who had been to the town, and
who held a large bundle in his hand. Then he turned his eyes to the
other, and gave an exclamation of pleasure, as he saw that it was
Stanislas. He looked pale and weak, and was evidently just
recovering from a severe illness.

"Why, Stanislas!" he exclaimed. "This is a pleasure, indeed. I
never for a moment dreamt of seeing you. I heard from the Jew who
guarded me that you got away, but I was afraid that you had been
badly wounded. Why, my brave fellow, what brings you here?"

"I have come to be with your honour," the man said. "It was, of
course, my duty to be by your side. I was very ill for a week, for
I had half a dozen wounds, but I managed, after the assailants left
me, to crawl back to Mr. Ramsay's to tell him what had happened. I
don't remember much about the next few days. Since then I have been
mending rapidly. None of the wounds were very serious, and it was
more loss of blood, than anything else, that ailed me. Mr. Ramsay
searched high and low for you, and we had all given you up for
dead, till a few hours before this man arrived with your letter.

"We heard you had killed Ben Soloman. I had a long talk with your
messenger, who received a handsome present from Mr. Ramsay, and he
agreed to conduct me here, upon my solemn promise that, if the
captain would not receive me, I would not give any information, on
my return, as to the whereabouts of the band. Mr. Ramsay hired a
light cart, and that brought us yesterday far into the forest. We
camped there, and I had not more than a couple of miles to walk to
get here this morning."

"Have you seen the captain?" Charlie asked eagerly.

"Yes. I was stopped by some sentries, a quarter of a mile away, and
was kept there while my guide came on and got permission of the
captain for me to be brought in. When I met him, I had no great
difficulty in persuading him to let me stop, for Mr. Ramsay had
given me fifty rix-dollars to give him; and so, your honour, here I
am, and here is a letter from Mr. Ramsay himself."