d at his ludicrous
expression of features.

"Oh pray! good Mr. Chief--"

"Keep your mouth shet! They'll never git through torturing us, if you
let 'em know you're afraid," said Sneak.

"That's just what I want," said Joe; "I don't want them to ever quit
torturing us--because they'll never quit till we're both dead. But as
long as they laugh at they'll be sure to let me live."

Ere long, the savages with their captives, entered the dense grove
where Mary had been taken, before they set out with her over the
prairie. But it was evidently not their intention to conduct their
present prisoners to their villages, and demand a ransom for them. Nor
were they prepared to convey them away in the same dignified and
comfortable manner, over the snow-clad plains. They anticipated a
gratification of a different nature. They had been disappointed in all
their attempts to obtain booty from the whites. The maid they had
taken had been recaptured, and their chief was in the possession of
the enemy. These, to say nothing of the loss of a score of their
brethren by the fire-weapons of the white men, stimulated them with
unerring precision to compass the destruction of their prisoners.
Blood only could satiate their vengeful feelings. And the greater and
longer the sufferings of their victims the more exquisite would be the
luxury of revenge. And this caused them to smile with positive delight
when they witnessed the painful terrors of poor Joe.

When they reached their place of encampment, which was in the midst of
a cluster of small slim trees that encircled an old spreading oak of
huge dimensions, the savages made their prisoners stand with their
backs against two saplings that grew some fifteen paces apart. They
were compelled to face each other, that they might witness every thing
that transpired. Their arms were bound round the trees behind them,
and a cord was likewise passed round their legs to confine them more
securely. The savages then seemed to consult about the manner of
despatching them. The oldest and most experienced, by his hasty
gestures and impatient replies, appeared to insist on their
instantaneous death. And from his frequent glances northward, through
the trees, he doubtless feared some interruption, or dreaded the
arrival of an enemy that might inflict an ample retaliation. During a
long pause, while the Indians seemed to hesitate, and the old crafty
savage drew his steel tomahawk from his belt, Sneak sighed d