abbits were skinned and
kept for eating, and the fox was skinned and the carcass thrown away.

Tom and Sam had expected Jasper Grinder to return to them, but if the
former teacher desired to do this, he was prevented by Dan Baxter, who
kept his companions close by him, around the fire.

Slowly the time went by until darkness was upon them. The fire was kept
up, but Baxter screened it as much as possible, so that the glare might
not penetrate to the forest beyond the gully and prove a beacon to guide
Dick and John Barrow to the spot.

The boys were tired out, and soon Sam sank to sleep, with his hands
still tied to the tree roots. Tom tried to keep awake, but half an hour
later he, too, was in dreamland.

When the Rovers awoke it was not yet morning. All was dark around them,
for the fire had burnt low. Sam roused up first, with a severe pain in
his wrists and ankles, where his bonds were cutting him.

"Oh, my wrists!" he groaned, and his voice caused Tom to start.

"Is that you, Sam?"

"Yes. My wrists are almost cut in two!"

"The same here. I've slept like a rock, too."

"Is it morning yet?"

"I'm sure I don't know."

"What's going on in there?" came from Dan Baxter, as he leaped to his
feet and caught up a gun.

"We are suffering from cuts of the ropes," said Tom. "It was an outrage
to compel us to sleep in this fashion, tied up like mummies!"

"Oh, shut up!" growled Baxter, and then began to poke the fire. Soon it
was blazing as readily as before, and then the light found its way into
the inner cave, so that Sam and Tom could see each other once more.

Breakfast for the two prisoners was a slim affair of crackers, rabbits'
bones, and water. Tom asked for coffee, but Baxter would not give it to
them.

"You'll get no luxuries from me," growled the bully. "Be thankful that
you aren't being starved."

While they were eating, Baxter and his companions held a low, but
animated, conversation. "We'll try it, anyway," Tom heard Baxter say,
and that was all the Rovers heard. As soon as the meal was finished the
party took up some of their traps and their firearms.

"Now, then, we are going out for a while," said Dan Baxter, coming up to
the prisoners. "Take my advice and don't try to escape in the meantime.
If you do, and we catch you, it will go hard with you; let me tell you
that!"

"Are you going to leave us tied up?" questioned Tom dubiously.

"Certainly."

"Some wild animal may come in here and c