ven in the terrible passion of mortal combat, Ned shuddered at the
thought of slaying a helpless opponent. He threw the knife aside, and
struck the man violently with his fist on the forehead, and then sprang
up to rescue Tom who, although he had succeeded at the outset in felling
one of the robbers with the butt of his pistol, was still engaged in
doubtful strife with a man of great size and power. When Ned came up,
the two were down on their knees, each grasping the other's wrist in
order to prevent their bowie-knives from being used. Their struggles
were terrible; for each knew that the first who freed his right hand
would instantly take the other's life. Ned settled the matter, however,
by again using his fist, which he applied so promptly to the back of the
robber's neck, that he dropped as if he had been shot.

"Thank you--God bless you, Ned," gasped Tom, as soon as he recovered
breath; "you have saved my life, for certainly I could not have held out
a minute longer. The villain has all but broken my right arm."

"Never mind," cried Ned, stooping down, and turning the stunned robber
over on his face, "give me a hand, boy; we must not let the fellows
recover and find themselves free to begin the work over again. Take
that fellow's neckcloth and tie his hands behind his back."

Tom obeyed at once, and in a few minutes the four highwaymen were bound
hand and foot, and laid at the side of the road.

"Now," said Ned, "we must push on to the nearest settlement hot-haste,
and bring a party out to escort--Halloo! Tom, are you wounded?"

"Not badly--a mere cut on the head."

"Why, your face is all covered with blood!"

"It's only in consequence of my wiping it with a bloody handkerchief,
then; but you can examine, and satisfy yourself."

"The wound is but slight, I see," rejoined Ned, after a brief
manipulation of Tom's skull; "now, then, let us away."

"We'll have to catch our horses first, and that won't be an easy
matter."

Tom was right. It cost them half-an-hour to secure them and recover
their rifles and other arms, which had been scattered over the field of
battle. On returning to the spot where the robbers lay, they found them
all partially recovered, and struggling violently to free themselves.
Three of them failed even to slacken their bonds, but the fourth, the
powerful man who had nearly overcome Tom Collins, had well-nigh freed
his hands when his captors came up.

"Lie quiet," said Ned, in