from him he did not realize till something was thrust under his
very nose, and the smell told him it was food.

He had just enough sense left to try and eat; but before he had
swallowed five mouthfuls he rolled over and fell sound asleep.
Nothing could have kept him awake--neither a thunderstorm nor an
earthquake.

When he awoke again to a consciousness of his surroundings the sun
was rising. He had come through the night in safety--that was his
first thought; and it both surprised and encouraged him. Surely, he
argued, if they wanted to kill him he would not have been spared so
long.

The scarcely-touched food was still beside him. Refreshed by the
much-needed sleep, he was able to eat it now, and began to feel
more like himself again, though stiff and still weary. He was
sufficiently rested for his brain to be active once more, and his
whole thoughts were bent upon what was to become of him next.

Bolter was tethered at the other side of the open space, well
guarded, as if the chief thought he might try to inveigle the horse
away by some magic means, then mount and ride off. It was very
evident that if he meant to get away it would have to be on
foot--the chief would not part with Bolter. The question was: Did
they mean to detain Eustace as prisoner? At present, except that
they stared inquisitively at him, every one seemed fairly
indifferent to his presence. However, he decided that it would be
foolish to put the matter to the test in broad daylight; he must
wait till nightfall, and under cover of the intense darkness make
his escape. He set himself to wait as patiently as he could,
pretending to be as drowsy and inert as a well-fed snake; but his
mind was very active. He had never thought so many thoughts in all
his life before. What, he wondered, could Mrs. Cochrane have
thought of his disappearance? Had his father returned to the
Highlands and discovered it? Were they keeping his loss from his
mother as they had kept Bob's from Mrs. Cochrane? Was it possible
Bob had got safe and sound home again? And oh! were they looking
for him?

There came an answer both to this and to the question as to the
black-fellows' intentions respecting him that very morning.

Eustace had been furtively watching the dark figures moving to and
fro. Apparently some of the men went off to hunt. Except when they
were preparing food, the women seemed to do nothing. The children
squabbled and tumbled about, or slept like tired brow