ad
made any, and they could only hope to find them by discovering the trail
made since the storm, or by the sight of themselves.

Not a word did the savages exchange with each other. They appeared to
understand what each thought, and what duty was required of them, which
duty for the present resembled that of watching and waiting.

As the day wore away the boy began to feel chilly and hungry. His wet
clothes were anything but comfortable, and his hollow stomach was a poor
protection against the sinking feeling. As his captors showed no
disposition to leave the place, or even to change their statue-like
positions, he began to grow anxious. He feared an attack of sickness if
his wants were not supplied; and after debating with himself a few
moments, he walked up to the tallest Indian and motioned that he needed
something to eat.

The reply was startling and decisive. The dusky rascal surveyed him
sharply a moment, and then drew his knife and raised it in a menacing
manner over his head. And thereupon Elwood retreated to his position,
and concluded he wasn't quite as hungry as he first imagined.

It is hard to tell what this singular captivity of Elwood Brandon's
would have eventuated in had not an unexpected diversion occurred in his
favor. Just as it was getting dark, the two Indiana who had gone out at
the close of the storm returned. They had a companion with them, and we
leave our readers to imagine what the boy's feelings were when he
recognized in the third his old friend Shasta, the Pah Utah.

CHAPTER XLV.

A FRIEND IN NEED.

When the Pah Utah entered the cave he did not appear to notice Elwood
Brandon. The latter attributed this to the semi-darkness in which he
stood, and was about to go forward and claim his friendship when
something restrained him, and he concluded to wait until the Indian
first recognized him.

Shasta exchanged a few words with his friends, and immediately several
of them went out in the darkness. When they returned, which was very
speedily, they each bore a goodly bundle of sticks and kindlings. In
what part of the wide creation they obtained them, directly after such a
deluge of rain, it is impossible to tell, but American Indians have a
peculiar faculty of doing such odd things.

A few minutes later a blaze sprung out from the center of the bundle
placed in the middle of the cave, and when Elwood looked downward toward
it, he saw that Shasta was kneeling before the pile en