How long he lay thus he knew not. At last, after passing what seemed
like hours of anguish, he rose slowly to his knees and poured forth his
whole soul in prayer to One who had also been tortured, and knew the
agony that preceded such sufferings. His prayer was for deliverance;
or if that might not be, then for His presence to support and
strengthen him in the hour of trial.

Having thus resigned all care of his own affairs, and placed them with
the only One who could bring him peace and strength, the boy felt
greatly comforted, and as though he should bear bravely whatever
tortures might be devised for him.

His cheerfulness astonished the guard who brought in his supper of
sof-ka (soup) and koonti-katki (starch-root), and he thought within
himself, "He cannot know what awaits him on the morrow; but he will
wear a different face when he sees the stake."

Rene had hardly finished eating with a good appetite his rather scanty
meal, when the guard again entered and loosened his bonds, and he was
led forth from the hut for the first time since his arrival in the
village. Guarded by a tall warrior on either side, he was forced to
head a sort of triumphal procession, and, accompanied by the sound of
the rattles and the kas-a-lal-ki, to march through and around the
village, to be gazed at and taunted by its entire population.

The lad walked with a firm tread, in spite of his painfully swollen
ankles, that had been cruelly bound for so long a time that they now
hardly supported him. His head was proudly lifted, and his youthful
countenance bore so brave and fearless a look that all who saw him
marvelled at it. It also caused them great joy, for they said one to
another, "He is so brave that the tortures must be many and long before
he will cry out, and we shall have rare sport with him on the morrow."

As this noisy procession passed on that side of the village nearest the
end of the trail that led away from the island through the swamp, it
attracted the attention of the warrior who was there on guard. So
great was his curiosity to see what was going on that he allowed it to
carry him a few yards from his post to a point where he could obtain a
better view.

While he thus stood, neglecting his duty for a moment and with his back
turned to the trail, three dark figures, hardly distinguishable from
the twilight shadows, glided noiselessly and swiftly from it. An
instant later they had vanished in the little thic