s considerably worked up when he heard what the shorter
fellow said. It was so very plain he could not mistake the meaning.

"Say, mister, you wouldn't go to hurt a poor feller what never done you
no harm, now, would you? Wish I on'y knowed where I could find a bag; I'd
get it for you like hot cakes. Please don't smoke me. I ain't a ham,
mister, an' I never done you any harm. Let me go, won't you? I'll never
come up here again, sure I won't. And I'll promise to bring you all the
bags in our house, mister."

Paying no attention to his pleadings and his groanings the men stood Ted
up against a tree. Then the rope brought from the car was wrapped around
both boy and tree several times.

"Get busy, Wash, and scrape up all the dead leaves you can find. Then
begin and pile up some brush and stuff. Oh! yes, it's a cold night, but
we ain't agoin' to let a poor critter what's lost his way, suffer. Here
you, stop that snifflin'. Time enough to beller after it begins to hurt."

He struck Ted again in the face, making his nose bleed. Paul had crept
out from the brush and commenced to approach the spot. He knew that the
other four scouts were probably close on his heels.

Every boy's heart beat like a trip hammer with excitement. They bit their
lower lips to keep from shouting out loud, such was the strain upon them.
But not one had the least thought of turning back. With such a leader,
how could they?

The shorter ruffian was scratching right merrily among the dead leaves,
making all the noise he could, so as to impress the prisoner with a sense
of his perilous condition. While he worked he kept talking, half to
himself, and no doubt uttering all sorts of terrible threats calculated
further to alarm the boy.

"We forgot one thing, Wash," said the other man, suddenly.

"What was that?" asked the one on his knees.

"To search the varmint. I might as well do it right now, while you go on
getting his jacket warmer ready."

At first Ted tried to make all the resistance possible; but this only
brought quick punishment in the shape of ugly blows and threats. So Ted
had to stand and allow the other to have his way.

A minute later the man uttered a loud cry.

"Look here, Wash, what did I say?"

He was holding something up. Seen in the light from the lamp belonging
to the red car it looked very much like a fat wad of greenbacks, tied
together with a cord.

Wash sprang up, and bent over to examine the object in the light. The