oys cooked and ate a couple more venison
steaks which gave them fresh strength and courage.

Walter shouldered the guns and venison and staggered on in the lead
under his heavy load, while Charley hobbled painfully on behind.

They had just crossed the remainder of the prairie and were resting a
bit before plunging into the forest on the other side, when Chris and
the captain broke out from the clump of trees and hailed them with
shouts of joy.

Chris relieved Walter of a part of his load while the captain assisted
Charley forward, and the little party made good time on their homeward
way and before long reached the clearing.

Chris' and the captain's haggard faces showed they had passed as
sleepless a night as the two lads.

"Golly," said Chris, gravely, "when night comes an' you chillens don't
show up, an' de haunts begin a-tollin' dat bell, I spects Massa Captain
an' dis nigger went most crazy. When we seed you-alls' fire a little
later, we feels some better, but, Massas, I jes' tell you dat daylight
seemed powerful long comin' to dis nigger."

Amid the others' breathless interest, Walter related the adventures of
the night. When the captain learned of Charley's accident, he brought
out the brandy bottle and insisted on his drinking what remained of the
liquor. His wound was then bathed, clean and bandaged again and he was
made to lay down upon his couch in the hut, while Walter stretched out
on his own bed for a nap.

"Good," exclaimed Charley, as he caught sight of the windows and door,
"you and Chris made a good job of those, captain."

The captain nodded in satisfaction. "I reckon it will take some
battering to get in there," he observed.

Inside the hut, the two workers had planted large posts of palmetto
that effectually blocked the windows save for the cracks between the
posts. The door was similarly barricaded, save for one post left out
for present ingress and egress. It stood close to hand, however, ready
to be slipped into the hole provided for it, at an instant's notice.

Charley suddenly staggered to his feet. "I can't waste time lying
here," he exclaimed. "Why, this is the day we expect the outlaw."

CHAPTER XXVIII.

PREPARATIONS.

"Sit down, Charley," said the captain sternly, "are you crazy, lad?
You can do nothing in your present state, and if you go and make
yourself sick, you will cause us all a deal of trouble and worry."

Charley sank back upon his couch. "But ther