f? Hey?"

Simon spent an uncomfortable night. The matter had passed the joking
period; he saw only torture ahead of him, at Little Chillicothe.

The Indians were not yet done with him, here. In the morning they
seemed to be more enraged than ever. The longer they thought about
this "tief," the wrathier they grew. Simon's hunting shirt had been
stripped from him, so that he was naked from the waist up. Now they
brought in the wildest of the horses--an unbroken young colt. They
mounted Simon upon him bareback, his hands tied behind him and his feet
tied together under the colt's belly. They turned the frenzied colt
loose; away he fled, prancing and rearing through the brush, bearing
Simon--they after, whipping and shrieking.

It was a rough ride while it lasted; but the colt simmered down, and
much to the Indians' disappointment fell in line with the other horses,
to jog soberly by the best trail.

"Thank you," thought Simon. "If ever I own you I'll see to it that
your ribs never show."

In this fashion he rode all that day, and part of the next. He had not
the slightest opportunity to escape. Chillicothe was in sight. An
Indian galloped before, to carry the word, so that the town might get
ready. The "big hoss tief"--Simon the "big hoss tief"--was being
brought in!

Chief Black Fish himself came to meet the procession. He, also, was in
bad humor. He had not got over the loss of his son, Big Turtle, and of
scalps at Boonesborough. Simon could not have chosen a worse time for
seeking trouble.

Black Fish was armed with a heavy hickory switch. He eyed Simon
scowlingly, Simon eyed the switch.

"You been stealing hosses!" Black Fish demanded in English.

"Yes."

"Captain Boone, he tell you to come steal our hosses?"

"No. I did it of my own accord."

That was the limit of impudence. This white man actually defied him!
Huh! Chief Black Fish vigorously applied the switch, and Simon took
another threshing. His naked back and shoulders speedily were ribboned
by bloody welts. Whew! Compared with this, his first beatings had
been as nothing.

They proceeded on for the town. By the manner with which the whole
population boiled out, like crazy persons, to hoot and yell and shake
fists and clubs, he had a hard row to hoe, yet. Beyond doubt, he would
be burned alive. His reputation was bad.

They could not wait to get into town with him. They planted a stake at
once--they tore off the remai