eeded to do as he was told.

"Ki Sing," said Jake Bradley to the Chinaman, who was standing near at
hand, his face wearing a bland and contented smile, "have you any cord
in your pocket?"

"Yes," answered the Celestial.

"Tie that man to the tree."

Ki Sing approached to follow instructions, when Bill Mosely shouted,
"I'll brain you, you yaller heathen, if you dare to touch me!"

"Just as you say, squire," said Bradley, nonchalantly raising his
revolver; "if you'd prefer to be shot I'm a very accommodatin' man, and
I'll oblige you. I guess it'll be better, as we'll save all trouble."

"Stop! stop!" cried Mosely, in dismay. "He can tie me."

"You've changed your mind. I thought you would," said Bradley.--"Ki
Sing, go ahead."

With native dexterity, and not without a feeling of satisfaction easily
understood under the circumstances, Ki Sing proceeded to tie his former
captor, but present captive, to a stout sapling.

"Is it strong?" asked Bradley.

"Velly stlong," answered the Chinaman, with a satisfied look.

"That's good.--Now, Tom, it's your turn. There's your tree! Annex
yourself to it."

Tom Hadley saw the futility of resistance, and quietly allowed himself
to be confined in the same manner as his companion.

When both were thus disposed of Jake Bradley turned to the Chinaman:

"Now, Ki Sing, let us have some supper as soon as possible. We've been
doin' considerable business, Ben and I, and we're as hungry as
bears.--Good-night, Mosely. Hope you'll have a good night's rest!"

"You are not going to leave us here all night, are you?" said Bill
Mosely, uneasily.

"That's just what I'm goin' to do. I'll let you go in the mornin' if you
behave yourself. Still, if you'd rather be shot I can accommodate you."

"What a bloodthirsty brute!" ejaculated the unhappy Mosely as Bradley
disappeared within the doorway.

"I should say so!" echoed Tom Hadley from the other tree.

CHAPTER X.

"THE BEST OF FRIENDS MUST PART."

Mosely and his companion continued in captivity through the night. Some
of my readers may consider the punishment a severe one, and it must be
admitted that it was attended with no small share of discomfort. But for
that time it was an exceedingly mild penalty for the offence which the
two men had committed. In the early days of California, theft was
generally punished in the most summary manner by hanging the culprit
from a limb of the nearest tree, and that, in the majority of c