to his waist. A fearful yell burst
from the lips of the wretched man, but no touch of pity moved the hearts
of the Red men, whose chief prepared to tear off another strip of skin
from the quivering flesh.

At the same moment the companions of the Flint wheeled their horses
round, and, filled with horror, fled at full speed from the scene.

The Red men did not attempt to hinder them. There was no feud at that
time between the white men and that particular tribe. It was only the
murderer of their old kinswoman on whom they were bent on wreaking their
vengeance, and with terrible cruelty was their diabolical deed
accomplished. The comrades of the murderer, left free to do as they
pleased, scattered as they fled, as if each man were unable to endure
the sight of the other, and they never again drew together.

On the very next day Crux and his band of avengers were galloping over
the same region, making straight for the town which the outlaws had
thrown into such consternation, and where Crux had been given to
understand that trustworthy news of the Flint's movements would probably
be obtained.

The sun was setting, and a flood of golden light was streaming over the
plains, when one of the band suggested that it would be better to encamp
where they were than to proceed any further that night.

"So we will, boy," said Crux, looking about for a suitable spot, until
his eye fell on a distant object that riveted his attention.

"A strange-looking thing, that," remarked the scout who had observed the
object at the same moment. "Somethin' like a man, but standin'
crooked-like in a fashion I never saw a man stand before, though I've
seen many a queer sight in my day."

"We'll soon clear up the mystery," said Crux, putting spurs to his horse
and riding straight for the object in question, followed by the whole
cavalcade.

"Ay, ay, bloody work bin goin' on here, I see," muttered the scout as
they drew near.

"The accursed Redskins!" growled Crux.

We need scarcely say that it was the dead body of Jake they had thus
discovered, tied to the spear which was nearly broken by the weight of
the mutilated carcass. Besides tearing most of the skin off the
wretched man's body, the savages had scalped Jake; but a deep wound over
the region of the heart showed that they had, at all events, ended his
sufferings before they left him.

While the avengers--whose vengeance was thus forestalled--were busy
scraping a shallow grave