u can get me out, Jerry?" asked the other, very humbly.

"Easy. Just you wait, and when I tell you what to do, go ahead."

With that he started operations. By breaking off the smaller branches one
at a time, he gradually weakened the network that was binding the
prisoner. Every obstacle, however small, that was removed, made things
easier. And finally Jerry gave a pull at the imprisoned boy.

Andy let out a howl of pain, but all the same he came free.

"My arm!"

"I'm going to look at that now, right away. If it is broken the sooner
you get back to Centerville and see a doctor the better; but, somehow,
I've got a notion it's only badly bruised. Here, bend it back, so I can
slip it out of the sleeve."

With much misgiving and many exclamations of agony, Andy did as he was
told. The other then examined it from one end to the other.

"Talk to me about luck, you've got cause to be mighty thankful, Andy.
There are a lot of bruises here, but no bones broken," declared Jerry.

"Sure you ain't mistaken, Jerry--'cause it's awful sore?" groaned the
other, and yet there was a trace of gratitude in his voice.

"Make up your mind it's so. Now, the question is what are we going to do
the rest of the night? I was in a hollow tree, but there isn't room for
two. Might manage to make a fire somehow, and stand it out. Think you can
walk now, Andy?"

Jerry unconsciously thrust a supporting arm around the waist of the
other, and steadied his steps as they moved slowly off. In so doing he
was heaping coals of fire upon the head of his adversary. Andy grunted
now and then as some jolt gave him new pain; but on the whole he was very
quiet. Perhaps his mind was busy and his conscience working overtime.

So they reached the hollow stump.

"Here's where I was camped all through the storm, and mighty lucky for
you that I lost my way when out hunting. Now wait till I dig out some of
that dry wood from the inside. It will make a capital start for a fire."

Jerry set to work with a vim. In five minutes he had a cheery little
blaze going, and more wood drying out close beside it. From time to time
other fuel was added to the fire until it reached such proportions that
it eagerly devoured any sort of stuff they chose to feed it.

"This ain't half bad, because it's getting mighty cold after that storm,
and if you happened to be lying drenched through under that tree I
reckon you'd be shivering some by now, eh?" laughed Jerry.

Andy put o