nd don't let it
weaken your self-confidence. Now what do you think of the plan of our
red-skinned friend?"

"I believe it's our only chance for life," he answered regretfully,
"those cut-throats have got us foul. It's run away or be killed."

"Then I'm for running. But, think you, he can be trusted to pilot us
aright?"

"He will not pilot us far, I fear," said Charley, sadly. "I doubt if
he will reach his wigwam. That bullet touched a lung all right. If he
dies on the way we must look to the son; he is of the same spirit as
the father, or I am no judge of character."

"They both speak English wonderfully well," said Walter musingly.

"So do most of the Seminoles," explained Charley. "They come in to the
outlying towns at rare intervals to exchange their venison and skins
for ammunition and cloth, and it's wonderful how quickly they pick up
the language. But I am rambling. The question before us is, shall we
abandon all our things and run away with a fair chance of escaping with
whole skins, or stay and fight it out with the certainty of being
killed, sooner or later?"

"Run," said the captain decisively, "and trust to luck and the chief to
recover our things."

"Retreat," voted Walter regretfully.

Without another word, Charley turned back to the bedside of the
suffering savage, whose pain-tortured eyes had never strayed from their
faces during the conference.

"Chief, we have decided that your plan is the only one to follow,"
Charley said, simply.

Exultation showed for a second on the Indian's, set features. "Good,"
he exclaimed, "listen, young white chief. Do not mourn the loss of
ponies and things such as you must leave behind. To-day you risked
your life to save a stranger Indian and his boy. Great shall be your
reward when this trouble is over. That with which to trade for many
ponies shall be yours."

In his excitement the wounded man had partly raised himself on his
elbow, but the exertion was too much; there was a rush of blood from
his lips and he sank back on his couch in a dead faint. In a second
Charley was by his side forcing down more brandy between the clenched
teeth. The powerful stimulant acted quickly. In a moment the sufferer
again opened his eyes to consciousness. Charley beckoned to his chum.
"Go relieve his boy," he whispered, "and send him here. I want him to
get his instructions from his father before there comes another attack.
The captain and I will fix for ou