ave a bout with the ringleaders who had started out to make
life a burden to him. Even the squaw partook of the general excitement
and followed the two out doors.

The chieftain cleared the way for the captive, who was greeted with the
most uproarious cries as soon as seen by the company, which numbered
over a hundred bucks, squaws and children, exclusive of the dogs which
added to the unearthly racket by their barking, yelping and howling.

Jack Carleton kept well under the wing of Ogallah until he could see
what was to take place. The chief talked for a short time with several
of his warriors, who closed around him, the rest holding him in such awe
that they refrained from disturbing the prisoner until permission was
given.

It was quickly settled: Ogallah and two of his men cleared a space a rod
square and then beckoned to Jack, who walked defiantly to the middle of
it and folded his arms.

"Something must be done pretty soon," was his thought, as he scanned the
scowling, laughing, shouting mob. "They would like to tear me to pieces,
and, if they come all at once, they will do it too."

The three Indian youths who had assailed Jack at the spring, leaped
about and were as frantically eager as so many bull-dogs to fly at the
poor fellow, who was never in sorer need of a powerful friend.

Suddenly one of them received the signal, and, with a whoop of delight,
he lowered his head and ran at Jack like a Japanese wrestler or a mad
bull. The boy saw he meant to butt him in the stomach, and if he did so
he would suffer serious injury. Forewarned was forearmed in his case,
and, leaping aside, he tripped the Indian as he shot by, and sent him
sprawling on his hands and knees. The uproar was deafening, but the
contest, it may be said, had only opened, and the young Sauk bounded to
his feet as if made of India Rubber. His coppery face was aglow with
passion, and, pausing but an instant, he made a second rush, though this
time he kept his head up, and spread out his arms so as to prevent Jack
escaping him.

Jack did not want to escape. He seized his assailant at the same moment
that the latter grasped him, and in a twinkling they were interlocked
and struggling like tigers. But the dusky youth was not only younger and
slighter than Jack, but he was not so strong. Furthermore, his skill in
wrestling was less than that of the white youth, who, like all the
youths of the border, was trained in the rough, athletic exercise so