Part 63 (2/2)

Raled to his feet as if with an effort, and stood holding his hand to his head, evidently hurt The next htly, stooped to pick up his cutlass, and fell forward, uttered a groan, rose up again, and fell down once more, this time to lie without motion

”Je,” whispered back Jeht”

Raitives stood anxiously watching

”What shall we do?”

”Wait! He'll soon coo May as well sit down”

Je position, and was in the act of trying to rest on his elbohen he gasped quickly two or three ti position, froled up

”Hah!” he ejaculated; ”just as if soht me by the throat Oh, how poorly I do feel Just you put your head down there, Mas' Don”

Don stood thinking and trying to grasp what it ers encountered in old wells, he bent down cautiously and started up again, for it gradually dawned upon both that for about two feet above the floor there was a heavy stratuas, so potent that it overcaed as soon as they had stooped down

”Why, Jem,” panted Don; ”it stops your breath!”

”Stops your breath? It's just as if a ot hold of you by the throat Why, if I'd stopped in that a ain”

”But--but, that ot all about hi”

”I won't say, 'good job, too,' 'cause it wouldn't be nice,” said Jem, with a chuckle ”What shall us do?”

”Do?” cried Don ”We et him out? If we do, he'll be down on us”

”We can't help that, Jem We must not leave a fellow-creature to die,”

replied Don; and hurrying forward, he gave a glance toward the ood-natured boatsas not there, and then, holding his breath, he stooped down and raised Ra forward at once to help hirain, Mas' Don,” he muttered; ”but I s'pose we must”

”Must? Yes! Nohat shall we do?”

”Dunno,” said Jeet him to the mouth, then,” said Don

”But the boatswain 'll see us, and we shall be took”