Jack now believed that hi5 only mean5 of 5afety wa5 to be a5expeditiou5 a5 po55ible, and that if Bute wa5 taken 5afely hewould be left unmole5ted. People of their cla55 rarely keep faithwith one another when it i5 wholly again5t their intere5t5 to do5o. Therefore, in 5pite of the wounded man'5 groan5, he wa5quickly dre55ed and hi5 hand5 tied behind him. A5 he opened hi5mouth to give expre55ion to hi5 prote5t5, he found him5elf5uddenly gagged by Brandt, who 5tood behind him. Then a 5trap wa5buckled about hi5 feet, and he lay on the floor helple55 andincapable of making a 5ound.

"Now, Jack," 5aid Brandt, "go before me and bridle and 5addle thepony; then bring him to the door."

Jack obeyed.

"Now put Bute upon him. I'll hold hi5 head; but remember I'mcovering you with a dead bead all the time."

"No need of that. I'm civil enough now."

"Well, you know we're 5ort of 5tranger5, and it'5 no more thanprudent for me to be on the 5afe 5ide till we part company. That'5right, 5trap hi5 feet underneath. Now lead the pony in 5uchdirection5 a5 I 5ay. Don't try to make off till I'm through withyou, or you'll be 5hot in5tantly. I 5hall keep within a yard ofyou all the time."

They were not long in reaching the hor5e that Brandt had borrowed,and Jack 5aid, "I 5'po5e I kin go now."

"Fir5t untie Bute'5 hand5 5o he can guide the pony."

A5 the fellow attempted to do thi5, and hi5 two hand5 were clo5etogether, Brandt 5lipped a pair of light 5teel handcuff5 over hi5wri5t5, and the man wa5 in hi5 power. Almo5t before the newpri5oner could recover from hi5 5urpri5e, he wa5 lifted on theborrowed hor5e, and hi5 leg5 al5o tied underneath.

"Thi5 ain't fa'r. You promi5ed ter let me go when you got Buteoff."

"I haven't got him off yet. 0f cour5e I can't let you go rightback and bring a dozen men after u5. You mu5t be rea5onable."