r, as usual, the savages
divided their forces into two separate bands, placing the Irishman and
the old trader in the midst of one, and Martin Rattler with the other.

"Surely they're niver goin' to part us, Martin," said Barney with a
careworn expression on his honest countenance that indicated the anxious
suspicions in his heart.

"I fear it much," replied Martin with a startled look, as he watched the
proceedings of the Indians. "We must fight now, Barney, if we should
die for it. We _must_ not be separated."

Martin spoke with intense fervour and gazed anxiously in the face of his
friend. A dark frown had gathered there. The sudden prospect of being
forcibly torn from his young companion, whom he regarded with almost a
mother's tenderness, stirred his enthusiastic and fiery temperament to
its centre, and he gazed wildly about, as if for some weapon. But the
savages anticipated his intention; ere he could grasp any offensive
weapon two of their number leaped upon him, and at the same moment
Martin's arms were pinioned in a powerful grasp.

"Och, ye murderin' blackguards!" cried Barney, hitting out right and
left, and knocking down a savage at each blow. "Now or niver! come on,
ye kangaroos!"

A general rush was made upon the Irishman, who was fairly overturned by
the mass of men. Martin struggled fiercely to free himself, and would
have succeeded had not two powerful Indians hastened to the help of the
one who had first seized him. Despite his frantic efforts, he was
dragged forcibly up the mountain gorge, the echoes of which rang with
his cries as he shouted despairingly the name of his friend. Barney
fought like a tiger; but he could make no impression on such numbers.
Although at least a dozen Indians lay around him bleeding and stunned by
the savage blows of his fists,--a species of warfare which was entirely
new to them,--fresh savages crowded round. But they did not wish to
kill him, and numerous though they were, they found it no easy matter to
secure so powerful a man; and when Martin turned a last despairing
glance towards the camp, ere a turn in the path shut it out from view,
the hammer-like fists of his comrade were still smashing down the naked
creatures who danced like monkeys round him, and the warlike shouts of
his stentorian voice reverberated among the cliffs and caverns of the
mountain pass long after he was hid from view.

Thus Martin and Barney were separated in the wild regions n