ross the hut--a hole had been half dug,
half torn through the side, just big enough for such a dog to get
through, and it had, after nearly killing him who had saved the brute's
life, torn a way out, partly beneath the side.

"Oh, Bel, lad, if you could only speak!" groaned Dallas, as he took up
the lamp, felt how cold the poor fellow was, and, setting the lamp down
again, stooped to pick up a skin rug tossed into the corner by the head
of the bed.

But as he drew it towards him something dropped on the ground. Stooping
down to see what it was, he discovered that it was a sharp, thick
bowie-knife.

"It is robbery. He has been attacked," cried Dallas; and once more he
devoted himself to trying to restore the sufferer--chafing his cold
limbs, bathing his temples with spirits, drawing him nearer the fire,
and at last waiting in despair for the result, while feeling perfectly
unable to fit the pieces of the puzzle so as to get a solution
satisfactory in all points.

"Poor old Bel!" he said to himself; "he seems always to get the worst of
it; but when I told him so he only laughed, and said it was I."

He was in agony as to what he should do.

One moment he was for going to fetch help; the next he gave it up,
dreading to leave his cousin again.

By degrees, though, the poor fellow began to come to as the warmth
pervaded him; and at last, to Dallas's great delight, he opened his
eyes, stared at him wildly, and then looked round wonderingly till his
eyes lit upon the opening, over which his cousin had pegged a rug.

He started violently then, and the memory of all that had taken place
came back.

Clapping his hand to his throat, he wrenched his head round so that he
could look in the direction of the bed.

"The gold--the bag of gold!" he whispered.

"Gone, old fellow; but never mind that, so long as you are alive. Try
and drink this."

"No, not now," said Abel feebly. "I want to lie still and think. Yes,
I remember now; he broke in at the side there while I was asleep. He
had a knife, but I seized him. Did you come back then?"

"No, I have not long been home. Shall I go and ask Norton to come?"

"No, don't leave me, Dal; I am so weak. But where is the dog?"

"He was not here when I broke in."

"You broke in?"

"Yes; I could not make you hear. I say, though, had I not better fetch
help?"

"What for? There is no doctor; and he might come back."

Dallas had started, for as Abel spoke there was