break
your neck. And you'd never get on, you know, without me. No, no, we've
got fairly into a fix, an' I don't see my way out of it. If my hands
were free we might attempt anything, but what can a fellow do when tied
up in this fashion?"

"He can submit, Tolly, and wait patiently."

Tolly did not feel inclined to submit, and was not possessed of much
patience, but he was too fond of Betty to answer flippantly. He
therefore let his feelings escape through the safety-valve of a great
sigh, and relapsed into pensive silence.

Meanwhile the attention of the band of savages was attracted to another
small band of natives which approached them from the eastward. That
these were also friends was evident from the fact that the larger band
made no hostile demonstration, but quietly awaited the coming up of the
others. The newcomers were three in number, and two of them bore on
their shoulders what appeared to be the body of a man wrapped up in a
blanket.

"They've got a wounded comrade with them, I think," said little Trevor.

"So it would seem," replied Betty, with a dash of pity in her tone, for
she was powerfully sympathetic.

The savages laid the form in the blanket on the ground, and began to
talk earnestly with their comrades.

"It's not dead yet anyhow," remarked Tolly, "for I see it move. I
wonder whether it is a man or a woman. Mayhap it's their old
grandmother they're giving a little exercise to. I've heard that some
o' the Redskins are affectionate sort o' fellows, though most of 'em are
hard enough on the old folk."

As he spoke he looked up in Betty's face. Just as he did so a startling
change came over that face. It suddenly became ashy pale, the large
eyes dilated to their utmost extent, and the mouth opened with a short
gasp.

In great alarm the boy turned his eyes in the direction in which the
girl gazed so fixedly, and then his own visage assumed a somewhat
similar appearance as he beheld the pale, thin, cadaverous countenance
of his friend Tom Brixton, from off which a corner of the blanket had
just slipped. But for the slight motion above referred to Tom might
have been mistaken for a dead man, for his eyes were closed and his lips
bloodless.

Uttering a sudden shout Tolly Trevor flung himself headlong off the pony
and tried to get on his feet but failed, owing to his hands being tied
behind him. Betty also leaped to the ground, and, running to where Tom
lay, went down on her knees