the South Devil; so, while he watched keenly,
he took the time to swallow the brandy. After a moment or two he was
startled by a weak human voice saying, with faint decision, "_That's_
brandy!"

"I should say it was," called Deal, springing to his feet "Where are
you, then?"

"Here."

The rescuer followed the sound, and, after one or two errors, came upon
the body of his brother lying on a dank mat of water-leaves and
ground-vines at the edge of a pool. In the red light of the torch he
looked as though he was dead; his eyes only were alive.

"Brandy," he said again, faintly, as Deal appeared.

After he had swallowed a small quantity of the stimulant, he revived
with unexpected swiftness.

"I have been shouting for you not fifty feet away," said Deal; "how is
it that you did not hear?" Then in the same breath, in a soft undertone,
he added, "Ah-h-h-h!" and without stirring a hair's breadth from where
he stood, or making an unnecessary motion, he slowly drew forth his
pistol, took careful aim, and fired. He was behind his brother, who lay
with closed eyes, not noticing the action.

"What have you killed?" asked Carl languidly. "I've seen nothing but
birds; and the most beautiful ones, too."

"A moccasin, that's all," said Deal, kicking the dead creature into the
pool. He did not add that the snake was coiled for a spring. "Let us get
back to the little knoll where I was, Carl; it's drier there."

"I don't think I can walk, old man. I fell from the vines up there, and
something's the matter with my ankles."

"Well, I can carry you that distance," said Deal. "Put your arms around
my neck, and raise yourself as I lift you--so."

The burning flambeau on the knoll served as a guide, and, after one or
two pauses, owing to the treacherous footing, the elder brother
succeeded in carrying the other thither. He then took off the light
woolen coat he had put on before entering the swamp, spread it over the
driest part of the little knoll, and laid Carl upon it.

"If you can not walk," he said, "we shall have to wait here until
daylight. I could not carry you and the torch also; and the footing is
bad--there are twenty pools to cross, or go around. Fortunately, we have
light-wood enough to burn all night."

He lit fresh torches and arranged them at the four corners of their
little knoll; then he began to pace slowly to and fro, like a picket
walking his beat.

"What were you doing up among those vines?" he asked. H