was sharp
enough to make him gasp with pain; also to put an idea into his head.

Having fully made up his mind to attempt to get away from the Apaches at
the very first opportunity which he could seize, it struck him that he
might help himself by engaging in a piece of deception, justifiable
under the circumstances. The bruise which he had received was not severe
enough to interfere with his walking, but Lone Wolf might as well
believe that it did. If he thought his prisoner was too lame to do much
in the way of locomotion, his watchfulness would be certain to become
quite lax, all of which would be a great point in favor of the one
mainly concerned.

"At any rate, I'll try it on," he said, as he shut his eyes.

The excessive fatigue of the lad caused him to drop off into a sound
slumber--a slumber filled with sweet dreams of home, father and mother
and all that was pleasant. But it was interrupted in the rudest possible
way.

The night was nearly gone, when a terrific uproar aroused him as
suddenly as if a cup of cold water had been dashed in his face. Looking
around, he saw two warriors, within six feet of him, engaged in a savage
dispute. From some source, a number of the Apaches had obtained a supply
of fire-water, and several desperate fights had already taken place. A
swarthy redskin, daubed with paint and intoxicated to that degree which
brought to the surface all the deviltry in his nature, was striving,
with knife in hand, to get at the sleeping boy, while another, in about
the same condition, was disputing his right to do this, and claiming
that it was peculiarly his own province to slay the young prisoner. Both
agreed that death should be awarded, and each claimed that justice
demanded that he alone should do the righteous deed. This difference of
opinion had already produced high words, the warriors pulling and
shoving each other, and threatening each instant to go at each other
with their knives.

Ned could not understand the words spoken, but the actions of the
redskins needed no interpretation. The affrighted boy sprang to his
feet, and, forgetful of the lameness which he had arranged, ran back
several yards to a group of redskins who were squatted upon the ground,
smoking.

At this instant, the two disputants, wearied with hurling words at each
other, went in with their knives, and the conflict became of the most
desperate and sanguinary nature.

"Where is Lone Wolf?" was the question he asked,