“My dear little girl,” he said, kissing her again and again, “I thought I had lost you altogether. Were you very much frightened?”

“I was so frightened, papa, till Julius came. I didn’t mind it so much then.”

Meanwhile Abner was loosening the cord by which our hero was tied.

“I s’pose the redskin did this,” said he. “Looks like his work.”

“Yes; he liked my company so much he didn’t want to let me go,” said Julius.

“Where is he?”

“Gone to the village to buy rum, I expect.”

“Where did he get his money?”

“I offered him money to let Carrie and me go, but he took it, and then tied me up here. That’s what I call mean.”

“So do I,” said Abner; “but he’ll find the bird flown when he gets back, I reckon.”