e of the
Pale-face always kills."

Without waiting for an answer, Dick immediately said, "Seek 'em out,
pup," and Crusoe bounded away.

For a few minutes he sprang hither and thither through the camp, quite
regardless of the Indians, and snuffed the air several times, whining in
an excited tone, as if to relieve his feelings. Then he put his nose to
the ground and ran straight forward into the woods. Dick immediately
bounded after him like a deer, while the trappers kept silent guard over
the savages.

For some time Crusoe ran straight forward. Then he came to a spot where
there was a good deal of drifted snow on the ground. Here he seemed to
lose the trail for a little, and ran about in all directions, whining in
a most piteous tone.

"Seek 'em out, pup," repeated Dick encouragingly, while his own breast
heaved with excitement and expectation.

In a few seconds the dog resumed its onward course, and led the way into
a wild, dark spot, which was so overshadowed by trees and precipitous
cliffs that the light of the sun scarce found entrance. There were many
huge masses of rock scattered over the ground, which had fallen from the
cliffs. Behind one of these lay a mound of dried leaves, towards which
Crusoe darted and commenced scraping violently.

Trembling with dread that he should find this to be the grave of his
murdered companions, Dick rushed forward and hastily cleared away the
leaves. The first handful thrown off revealed part of the figure of a
man. Dick's heart beat audibly as he cleared the leaves from the face,
and he uttered a suppressed cry on beholding the well-known features of
Joe Blunt! But they were not those of a dead man. Joe's eyes met his
with a scowl of anger, which instantly gave place to one of intense
surprise.

"Joe Blunt!" exclaimed Dick in a voice of intense amazement, while
Crusoe sniffed round the heap of leaves, and whined with excitement.
But Joe did not move, neither did he speak a word in reply--for the very
good reasons that his mouth was tightly bound with a band of leather,
his hands and feet were tied, and his whole body was secured in a rigid,
immovable position by being bound to a pole of about his own length.

In a moment Dick's knife was out, bands and cords were severed, and Joe
Blunt was free.

"Thank God," exclaimed Joe with a deep, earnest sigh, the instant his
lips were loosened, "and thanks to _you_, lad," he added, endeavouring
to rise, but his limbs