ve to
take some refreshments, food and drink, and get some sleep. You don't
look as if you had slept for weeks."

"I scarcely have."

"Your conduct is foolish. If you love your mother, you should give the
full strength of body and mind to her rescue."

Charles ate some broiled venison and went to sleep.

So exhausted was he, that he did not awake until the noise of breaking
camp aroused him.

Another white man was in camp. His hands were fastened behind his back
and he was tied to a tree. His sallow complexion and angular features
were familiar to Charles Stevens. The prisoner was Joel Martin.

"Two of the Indians captured him last night," explained George Waters.
"He was prowling about in the woods, and they seized him."

"What are you going to do with him?" Charles asked.

"We will do him no hurt unless we are forced to," said Mr. Waters.

"I trust you will not be forced," said Charles Stevens.

"So I pray; yet we must protect ourselves and those whom we would
rescue."

"I see that many more Indians are in camp than were here yesterday."

"Yes."

"Are they friends?"

"They are the braves of Oracus, and will follow where he leads."

Charles Stevens passed an anxious day. A part of the time he was near
enough to Joel Martin to hear him muttering:

"I have no fear of George Waters, galley slave. You may turn me over to
your heathen cut-throats; yet I will defy you. If I live, I will yet
drag you to justice for the murder of my brother."

"Mr. Martin, you have forgotten that the word of God says, 'Vengeance is
mine and I will repay, saith the Lord,'" put in Charles.

"I will be the instrument of vengeance."

"You are in the power of Mr. Waters."

"For the present I am."

"Don't you think you should be careful how you threaten him, seeing he
has you at his mercy."

Charles could not intimidate the bold Virginian. He was furious, and no
threat of punishment could move him.

During the day, a dozen more Indians came in. The red men now numbered
eighty, and by the afternoon the entire party was moving toward Salem.

At dusk they were but five miles from the village. Here a halt was
called, and, after a short consultation, Oracus detailed five of his
braves to guard Mr. Martin, and with the others moved on over the hills
and through the woods toward Salem.

"What will they do with him?" Charles asked.

"Release him when we leave the village."

"Mr. Waters, would you not be justified in killin