The boy went
down under the crushing weight, the cry that rose to his lips smothered
by a stinging blow in the face.
Ned lost consciousness. Everything turned suddenly black about him.
CHAPTER IV
TAD BUTLER MAKES A DISCOVERY
Dusk was already settling over the mountains when Ned Butler fell
beneath the powerful onslaught of the mountaineer. Without an instant's
hesitation the fellow picked up the boy, starting down the side of
the galley with his burden. The man ran along carrying the lad as
easily as if he had been a child.
Reaching a secluded spot near the west fork the fellow put his burden
down, then built a little fire under a thick growth of pines, whose
tops served to break up the smoke and scatter it, thus greatly lessening
the chances of discovery.
It was a few minutes later that Ned regained consciousness. His captor,
watching him narrowly, had placed Ned against a tree, passed a piece
of rope about the boy's body, pinioning his arms to his sides,
securing the rope at the other side of the tree. Then the fellow
had squatted down with rifle across his knees.
Ned saw a powerfully-built, wiry man, whose lean face and deep-sunken
eyes created a most unfavorable impression. Even under more pleasing
circumstances this man would have caused Ned to give him a wide berth.
Discovering that he had been bound Ned's face flushed angrily.
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