A low moan from the sufferer told he was yet alive, and at the same time
proclaimed that relief must soon come if death was to be cheated of its
prey.

"Hold out a few minutes longer, friend," Walter cried, cheerily. "I must
have an axe before I can do very much toward getting you free from that
timber."

There was no reply; the poor wretch's strength was nearly exhausted, and
the boy understood that he must work, with all possible speed if he would
save a human life.

"It seems that my coming here may be of more use than simply hiding from
Sam Haines," he cried, as he ran with all speed toward the spot where the
goods had been left. "I have been grumbling because Stephen brought an axe
instead of a hatchet, but now I should be able to do very little without
it."

Ten minutes later he was chopping furiously at the imprisoning branches,
using due care to prevent additional injury to the helpless man, and when
so much of the foliage had been cut away as to give him a clear view of
what was beneath, he exclaimed in surprise,-

"An Indian! What could have brought him so near the town?"

Then he forgot the colour of the sufferer, thought not of what his kind
had done in the way of savage cruelty to helpless women and children, but
devoted all his strength and energies to releasing him.

The wretch was so nearly dead as to be unable to render any assistance to