intolerable
annoyance in the only way possible. He therefore stopped short and
stooped over to loosen the bandages.

But lo! it was impossible. His body was so confined that he could only
make a slight inclination. The hands, which were partly covered, would
not reach further than a point just above his knees.

"I' clar to gracious!" exclaimed the alarmed Jethro, straightening up
like a jack-knife, "I's committed sooicide. I'll nebber be able to get
my feet free. I'll hab to lib dis way de rest ob my life, and dat won't
be berry long."

But the first shock over, the truth gradually dawned upon him that
inasmuch as he had wound himself up, he must possess the ability to
unwind himself. All he had to do was to begin at the upper instead of
the lower part of his body.

"Qu'ar I didn't tink ob dat," he said, with a chuckle at his own fright.

It was the work of but a few minutes to unwrap his body and limbs, when
he kicked his feet free, and "Richard was himself again." By that time,
however, he had entirely freed himself from the sheets, which he flung
over his left arm, while he held his heavy gun in his right.

"What's de use ob smotherin' myself to def," he muttered. "Dar ain't no
Injuns 'round, and dar won't be--gracious hebben."

From the edge of the wood, barely fifty feet away, a dark object issued
and advanced straight upon him.

"Dat's de Panther! I knows him by his face; he wants to git eben wid me
'cause I wouldn't 'low him to stick his foot in my mouf."

Forgetful of the effective weapon he had in his hand, Jethro made a dash
for the flatboat, his nearest refuge, and forgetful, too, of the
voluminous folds over his arm, he tangled the lower ends about his feet
and sprawled headlong to the ground. This completed the panic, and
letting go of his rifle, he rolled over on his back and made desperate
efforts to gather the mass of linen over his face and body, so as to
protect him against bullet and knife and tomahawk, somewhat as a child
covers its head at night to escape imaginary terrors.

There was so much of the stuff that the armoring of his head and limbs
was quite effective, but his feet were left wholly unprotected. The only
recourse left was to kick, which he proceeded to do with a vigor that
would have sent any man flying had he come within reach of the whirring
pedals.

When this had continued until Jethro was tired, he concluded that the
demonstration had frightened off his enemy. Dropping h