pain produced became
insufferable. By this means the cord was loosened gradually, and
moving it a little higher up where the muscles had not yet been
bruised, he repeated the process. In this manner he laboured with
certain but tardy success. But while he was thus engaged, Joe's
predicament became each moment more critical. The wood being by this
time pretty well seasoned, began to burn more freely. The blaze was
making formidable advances, and the heat was becoming intolerable.

"For heaven's sake, Sneak!" cried Joe, "make haste and come here, or
I'll be roasted alive!"

"Wait till I get away from my own tree," replied Sneak.

"Oh Lord! I can't wait a minute more! My shins are getting blistered!"
cried Joe, writhing under the heat of the blaze, which now reached
within a few inches of him, and increased in magnitude with awful
rapidity.

"Well, if you won't wait till I git there, just go ahead yourself,"
said Sneak, at last extricating his feet by a violent effort, and
hopping to Joe's assistance, with some difficulty, for his nether
limbs were considerably bruised.

"Hang it, Sneak, pull these burning sticks away from my knees!" said
Joe, his face flushed with pain.

"I'll be bursted with powder, if you didn't like to git into a purty
tight fix," said Sneak, dashing down the consuming billets of wood.

"Now, Sneak, cut me loose, and then let's run home as soon as
possible."

"I hain't got my knife with me, or I wouldn't 'ave been so long
gitting loose myself," said Sneak, slowly untying Joe's hands.

"My goodness, how my arms ache!" said Joe, when his hands were
released. "Now, Sneak, undo my feet, and then we'll be off in a
hurry."

"I'll be slit if your feet ain't tied like mine was, in rich a hard
knot that no mortal being can git it undone. I'll take a chunk, and
burn the tarnation string in two," said Sneak, applying the fire.

"Take care you don't burn _me_," said Joe, looking at the operation
with much concern.

Sneak's plan of severing his companion's bonds was successful. Joe
sprang in delight from his place of confinement, and, without uttering
another word, or pausing a single moment, the liberated companions
retreated from grove with all possible expedition.

CHAPTER XV.

Glenn's History.

The young chief, or rather the restored youth, awoke in a few days
from the delirium into which the fever had plunged him, to a state of
convalescence and a consciousness of his altered cond