such a course, and,
more than once, he decided not to make any effort to leave the Pawnees,
even if a good opportunity offered. Had it not been for Jack Carleton
and his kind mother he probably would have become an adopted Pawnee.

But, as the distance between him and his humble cabin in far away
Martinsville increased, a feeling of homesickness crept over him until
he was utterly miserable. He finally reached the resolve that he would
never rest until he was back again in the log cabin near the banks of
the Mississippi; no matter how oppressive his lot, it was _home_, and
that was preferable to a gilded palace.

The prisoner in the dungeon finds no difficulty in making up his mind to
leave; the insurmountable task is to carry out his intention; and the
days and nights passed without the first glimmer of hope appearing in
the sky of Otto Relstaub.

Several times he saw chances which he believed would enable him to get
away, but he feared the inevitable pursuit. He was so many miles from
home that the most laborious tramping would be required for many days,
even if able to proceed in a direct line.

It was this dread which prevented such an attempt on the part of Otto,
while his homesickness increased until his appetite vanished and his
looks were woe-begone. While in this pitiful condition the poor fellow
asked himself whether he could not feign illness to such a degree that
his captors would abandon him to die.

The probabilities pointed the other way. In the first place the Pawnees
were quite certain to perceive the sham, and, in case they were
deceived, they were likely to tomahawk Otto so as to end the annoyance.
These two considerations kept him plodding along with the party, which,
fortunately for him, progressed slowly.

But while the youth's physical condition was not bad enough to deceive
the Indians, he became desperate, and determined to take the first
opportunity that presented itself. Within an hour he found a chance to
pilfer some tobacco belonging to Lone Bear. He did so with such care
that he was not suspected. Straightway he swallowed it, and I need not
say that it was unnecessary for Otto to pretend he was ill; he was never
in such a state of collapse in his life.

His deathly paleness convinced the Pawnees that their captive was at
death's door. They urged him to walk, but he could not, and they stayed
in camp longer than was intended, in the hope that the patient would
rally.

Otto showed