Part 43 (1/2)

Then he picked Mart up and put him over his shoulder.

At once the boy began to scream for help.

”Shut up!” growled Porler.

For reply Mart screamed louder.

Then Porler threw him down, poured some chloroform he had in a bottle on his handkerchief and applied it to Mart's nose.

The boy struggled vainly for a few minutes and then became limp in his arms.

”Ah, that did the business,” Porler murmured to himself. ”Glad I brought the chloroform along.”

He took Mart to his carriage and placed him inside, covering him with several robes.

When Mart came to his senses he found himself in a little room. The door was locked and the one window was nailed up tightly. He was a close prisoner.

The boy had been placed on a cot in the corner, and now sat up and gazed around in bewilderment.

”Where am I?” he thought.

Then the full realization of what had happened burst upon the boy, and he gave way to tears.

”That bad man! What does he intend to do with me?”

Hour after hour went by and no one came to Mart.

There was a pitcher of water in the room and a loaf of bread, both on a stand close at hand.

He drank some of the water, but could not eat.

He knew it was night. Slowly the hours dragged by until morning.

Not long after this the door was unlocked and Porler came into the room.

”Awake, are you?” he said. ”Hope you slept well.”

”You monster!” Mart cried. ”What are you going to do with me?”

”I'll tell you. I am going to make you promise on your bended knees that you will travel with me as you used to do, and obey all my commands.”

”I'll never promise anything like that,” exclaimed Mart, recoiling with horror.

”You will, or else-” The old balloonist paused.

”Or else what?”

”I will keep you here, and starve you into submission.”