e said to himself, "and if I could
manage to slip the ropes it would only be a question of a fight, in
which I'm almost certain to get the upper hand."

He had been left seated with his back against the trunk of a tree, and
the first move necessary was to release his arms.

To do this he struggled desperately, regardless of the pain; but the
bonds remained firm until Gus returned, when, as a matter of course, he
did not dare to make any further movement.

"Now Tim is so far away that he can't interfere, I'm going to pay you
off for playin' the sneak," Gus said, as he took up his station directly
in front of the prisoner. "If I had my way you shouldn't have a bite to
eat from now out, an' by the time we get ready to leave you couldn't do
much mischief."

"If you're afraid, why not kill me? That's the safest plan."

"I'd like to," was the savage reply, "an' would if I was sure of not
bein' pulled up for murder. I can give you a lively time for the next
two or three hours, though."

Gus began to fulfill his promise by tickling Fred's nose with a twig,
and the prisoner was by no means averse to the cruel sport, since it
gave him a good excuse to struggle.

He writhed and twisted as if to move beyond reach of his tormentor; but
all the while his sole aim was to release his hands, and Gus was so
deeply engrossed with the efforts to cause pain that he failed to
understand what his victim might succeed in doing.

CHAPTER XXVI

TURNING THE TABLES

The constant straining caused Fred to perspire freely, and after many
vain efforts he succeeded in catching the rope which was around his
wrists, under the point of a projecting limb of the tree.

Now he had a purchase, and by a mighty effort at the moment when Gus
made a more than usually vicious lunge, slipped one of his hands from
the bonds, thanks to the perspiration which moistened the strands.

He did not take immediate advantage of his freedom. It was essential to
await a favorable opportunity, and this came when Gus knelt before him
for the purpose of pricking the apparently helpless boy with the blade
of his knife.

Fred could not arise; but he flung both arms around his tormentor's
neck, hugging him so close as to prevent the latter from using his
hands.

For an instant his surprise was so great that he remained motionless;
but before Fred could take any advantage of his inactivity Gus recovered
from the shock to exert all his strength, and began to