“Did you speak with them?”
“Yes, I spoke with them,” replied the guide.
“Did they give you this note? If so, tell me under what circumstances it was written. It says that they are in need of assistance. Tell me the exact situation of affairs.”
Instead of replying to the direct question, the guide darted away, passing around a corner of rock, and was soon lost to view. Ned hesitated, not knowing whether he ought to follow him or not.
While he stood considering the matter, four as evil-looking half-breeds as he had ever seen swarmed down upon him, and in a moment he was bound hand and foot and placed on a rude stretcher.
The attack had come so suddenly that the boy had offered little resistance. He now lay upon the stretcher of bark and boughs and looked into the faces of his captors with curiosity as well as astonishment.
“What did you do that for?” he asked.
The individual who seemed to be the leader of the party mumbled out some sullen reply and motioned to the others to take up the litter.
“Anyway,” the boy said grimly, “I seem to be going in state.”
“You are a slippery cuss!” the leader declared and the little procession moved on up the slope.