The two men placed him beside them, and he was sternly ordered to move
on.

They kept the road for perhaps half a mile, then turned off into a
narrow lane which appeared to ascend a hill. Finally they stopped in
front of a dark cabin, of one story, which seemed to be unoccupied. The
outer door was fastened by a bolt.

One of the men drew out a bolt, and threw open the door. A dark interior
was revealed. One of the men lit a match, throwing a fitful light upon
an empty room. At one end of the apartment was a ring, fixed in a beam,
and in the corner was a stout rope.

"That will do," said the first speaker.

He took the rope, secured one end of it to the ring, and then tied Kit
firmly with the balance. It was long enough to allow of his lying down.

"Now," said the first man grimly, "I reckon the kid will be safe here
till to-morrow."

They prepared to leave the cabin.

"Are you going to leave me here?" asked Kit, in dismay.

"Yes."

"What good will it do you?"

"You'll see--to-morrow."

Kit had ten dollars in his pocket, and he thought of offering it in
return for his freedom, but it occurred to him fortunately that his
captors would deprive him of it, as it was quite within their power to
do, and not compensate him in any way. He understood by this time the
character of the men into whose hands he had fallen, and he thought it
prudent to remain silent.

As the first captor stood with the door open, while just on the point of
leaving, he said grimly, "How do you like it, kid?"

"Not at all," answered Kit.

"If you beg my pardon for what you did, I might let you go."

Kit did not believe this, and he had no intention of humiliating himself
for nothing.

"I only did my duty," he said. "I have nothing to ask pardon for."

"You may change your mind--to-morrow!"

Another ominous reference to to-morrow. Evidently he was only deferring
his vengeance, and intended to wreak it on his young prisoner the next
day.

It was not a comforting thought, nor was it calculated to sooth Kit,
weary as he was, to sleep.

The door was closed, and Kit heard the sliding of the bolt on the
outside. He was a prisoner, securely enough, and with small chance of
rescue.

Now, though Kit is my hero, I do not mean to represent him as above
human weakness, and I won't pretend that he didn't feel anxious and
disturbed. His prospects seemed very dark. He could not hope for mercy
from the brutal men who had captured him. As