ales, the other
extended so as to touch his companion as soon as they were near.

The rustling sound again close at hand; but he dare not speak, only
creep on in the dense blackness, straining his eyes to see; and his ears
to catch his companion's breath.

"Ah!"

Don uttered a sigh of satisfaction, for it was painful to be alone at
such a time, and he had at last touched the strong sturdy arm which was
slightly withdrawn, and then the hand gripped him firmly.

Don remained motionless, listening for the danger which must be
threatening, or else Jem would have spoken; but at last the silence
became so irksome that the prisoner raised his left hand to grasp Jem's
wrist.

But it was not Jem's wrist. It was bigger and stouter; and quick as
thought Don ran his hand along the arm to force back the holder of his
arm, when to his horror, he found that the limb had been thrust through
one of the openings of the fence, and he was a prisoner to some fierce
chief who had suspected the design to escape, held in so strong a grip,
that had he dared to struggle to free himself, it would not have been
possible to drag the fettered arm away.

"Jem! Help!" was on his lips, but he uttered no cry, only breathlessly
listened to a deep panting from the outer side of the _pah_.

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.

AFTER SUSPENSE.

What would happen? A powerful savage had hold of him firmly, had caught
him just as he was about to escape; and the next thing would be that he
would feel a spear driven through the opening between the pales, and
that spear would run him through and through.

His first idea was to give warning of the danger, but he dared not call,
and Jem was apparently beyond hearing of the rustling and panting noise
which could still be heard.

Directly after Don determined to wrest his arm away, and dart back into
the darkness.

But the hand which held him still gripped with a force which made this
impossible; and in despair and dread he was about to fling himself down,
when Jem came gliding up out of the darkness, and touched his cold, wet
face.

"I've found the post, Mas' Don!" he whispered.

Don caught him with his disengaged hand, and placed Jem's against the
arm which held him.

For a few moments Jem seemed unable to grasp the situation, for nothing
was visible. Then he placed his lips once more close to Don's ear.

"Wait a moment till I've opened my knife."

"No, no," whispered Don in a horrified tone. "It is