low the route which they
had been pursuing, so that, whatever might be their ultimate fate, in
the meantime they were advancing on their journey.

Big Ben took occasion to point this out to his comrades the next night,
when, after a severe day's ride, they were allowed to sit down and eat a
scanty meal surrounded by the Indian warriors. No fire was lighted, for
the savages knew they were now approaching their enemies' country.
Their food, which consisted of dried buffalo meat, was eaten cold. In
order to enable the captives to feed themselves, their hands had been
loosed and refastened in front instead of behind them, but this did not
in any degree improve their chance of escape, for they were guarded with
extreme vigilance.

"You see, Mr Osten," said Big Ben, in a low tone, "it's a piece of good
luck that they've brought us this way, 'cause when we leave them we have
nought to do but continue our journey."

"Leave them!" exclaimed Will in surprise. "How shall we manage to leave
them?"

"By escapin'," answered the trapper. "How it is to be gone about no man
can tell, for man is only mortal an' don't know nothin' about the
futur', but we'll find that out in good time."

"I hope we may," returned Will sadly, as he gazed round on the stern
faces of the savages, who ate their frugal meal in solemn silence; "but
it seems to me that our case is hopeless."

"Faix, that's what meself thinks too," muttered Larry between his teeth,
"for these cords on me wrists would howld a small frigate, an' there's a
black thief just forenint me, who has never tuk his eyes off me since we
wos catched. Ah, then, if I wor free I would make ye wink, ye ugly
rascal. But how comes it, Mister Trapper, that ye seem to be so sure o'
escapin'?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm hopeful," replied Big Ben, with a smile.

"Hopeful!" repeated the other, "it's disapinted ye'll be then. Haven't
ye often towld me that thim blackguards roast an' tear and torture
prisoners nowadays just as bad as they ever did?"

"I have."

"Well,--d'ye think them Redskins look as if they would let us off,
seein' that we've shot wan of them already?"

"They don't."

"Sure, then, yer hope stands on a bad foundation, an' the sooner we make
up our minds to be skivered the better, for sartin am I that our doom is
fixed. Don't 'ee think so, Bunco?"

The worthy appealed to was busily engaged in tearing to pieces and
devouring a mass of dried buffalo meat, but he looked