alive with shouts and cries.

"Don't let the rope tighten," Jim called, bursting through the bushes
to her rescue. "Slip out of it, Helen."

That was easier said than done, for her struggles had already drawn the
noose so tight that, although she resisted to the utmost of her power,
she was being hauled rapidly towards the fort.

Her captor showed no mercy; he did not even allow her to get to her
feet; and though she clutched vainly at brambles and branches, and even
at the stalks of the nettles, he was too strong for her.

She was within a few yards of the fort when Jim reached her side, and
grasping the rope with both hands, he was in the act of widening the
noose when he was struck heavily across the shoulders by a second
lasso, and before he could even throw up his arms they were bound
tightly to his side.

Then he was even in a worse plight than Helen, for she, at least, had
the use of her hands; and, though he flung himself backwards, and
twisted and contorted his body in every conceivable way, he could not
release himself. Neither could he prevent himself from being drawn
helplessly towards the fort; and it occurred to him that Hal must have
grown wonderfully strong lately, for he seemed to have no difficulty at
all in dragging both his captives in together.

"Drusie, Drusie!" he shouted despairingly, as he was flung to the
ground, and, fighting every inch of the way, was dragged and bumped
nearer and nearer to the fort.

With a sound of breaking branches and rending of clothes, Drusie was
hastening to the rescue. She had not been able to come sooner, because
she had penetrated so far into the dense thicket that she could not
readily extricate herself. However, by leaving scraps of her clothing
on every sharp thorn, and getting her hands and legs terribly
scratched, she forced her way out at last; and keeping a wary outlook
on the fort, she tried to unloose the knots that bound Jim.

"Once let me get my arms free," he said, "and I shall be all right."

It was clear that the fort had exhausted its stock of lassos, for no
third coil of rope came flying out. Instead, however, the enemy kept
up a brisk rain of bullets, which harassed Drusie very much, and
prevented her from releasing either Helen or Jim.

Every now and again the wily enemy would stop firing, and give a tug to
the two ropes which bound his unfortunate captives, and they would be
jerked a foot or two nearer the fort.

Drusie was in de