clared the other bitterly. "In every face I would read suspicion,
and dread of detection and arrest would haunt me all the time."

Walter could say nothing more to encourage this strange, unfortunate
character, and with an effort the other shook off the black mood that
had fallen upon him.

"I guess you're right, it must be my liver," he said lightly. "After
all there is something in the old jockey saying, "There is nothing to a
race but the finish." If I live a convict I can at least die a
gentleman."

A sympathetic silence fell upon the two that lasted unbroken until
their watch ended.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE PARLEY.

Only once during the night were the watchers disturbed. Two convicts
endeavored to worm their way up to the hut unseen but were quickly
spotted by the captain who emptied his revolver at them without any
other effect than to cause them to take to their heels. Aside from
this incident the besieged were not disturbed.

The convicts were evidently keeping as keen a watch as the besieged to
guard against the possibility of any of them escaping. A hat which
Chris squeezed out through a crack between the posts was promptly
riddled with bullets.

Morning found the hunters and their new friend weary with suspense and
their long inactivity. All longed for a stroll in the open air, a
chance to stretch their legs, and an unlimited supply of water to
drink. It almost seemed that their meager allowance of a pint and a
half each for the twenty-four hours did little more than increase their
thirst. They could not safely alter their unpleasant situation,
however, and they wisely made the best of it and did not grumble.

They had one great consolation in Charley's rapid progress towards
health. He was gaining with astonishing rapidity and bid fair to be
completely recovered in a few days.

With the coming of another day, the convicts opened an irregular fire
upon the doors and windows of the hut. Many of their bullets passed
between the cracks in the post barricades and imbedded themselves in
the walls. The defenders husbanded their ammunition, firing only when
a convict exposed arm or leg. They were satisfied now of the
impregnability of their building and their main concern was to keep out
of the way of chance bullets.

The morning was well advanced when Walter, who was watching at a
window, felt a curious sensation in the soles of his feet, and,
startled, looked down to find that he was s