e sufficient big game to sustain him for weeks
and months to come. After all, the whole issue depended on the
rifle,--the symbol of force. It would be his instrument of vengeance
when his chance came. If she could only take this weapon from him she
need not fear the coming of her rescuers. In that case Ben would be
helpless against them.

Unfortunately, the gun rarely left his hands. If indeed she should
attempt to seize it he would wrest it away from her before she could
destroy or injure it. But it was a hopeful fact that the rifle was
useless without its shells!

To procure these, however, presented an unsolvable problem. Any way she
turned she found a barrier Ben kept them in his shell belt, and he wore
the belt about his waist, waking or sleeping. Only to procure it, run
like a deer and hurl it into the rapids of the Yuga,--and her problem
would be absolutely solved. Ben would be obliged to leave the cave home
at once and return with her to the Yuga cabins, utilizing the few stores
they had left for the journey--simply because to stay, unarmed, would
mean to die of starvation. Indeed the few remaining supplies would not
more than last them through now, traveling early and late, so if the
venture were to be attempted at all it must be at once. On the other
hand his rifle and shells would enable the two of them to remain in the
cavern indefinitely on a diet of meat alone.

As she worked about the cavern she brooded over the plan; but at first
she could conceive of no possible way to procure the shells. If the
chance came, however, she wanted to be ready. She planned all other
details of the venture; the shortest route to the nearest rapids of the
river where she might dispose of the deadly cylinders of brass. It
became necessary, also, to consider the lesser weapon for the plain
reason that it might defeat her in the moment of her success.

Ben kept the weapon in his cartridge belt, but the extra pistol shells
were among the supplies. They could easily be procured. It would also be
necessary to induce him to fire away the few shells that he carried in
the pistol magazine; but this would likely be easy enough to do. He put
little reliance on the weapon, trusting rather to his rifle both for the
impending war and the procurance of big game; and he would not harbor
the pistol shells as long as he had his rifle.

But the days were passing! Any attempt at deliverance must be made
before the food stores were further d