Part 33 (1/2)

They were moving with care when they heard a sudden yell ahead. It was Slavin calling to his horse.

”Back up!” they heard him cry. ”Back, hang ye! De ye want ter pitch me in a hole?” And then followed a savage muttering they could not make out.

”We've got him!” cried Watson. ”Come--but be careful, be careful.”

”I'm going to dismount,” said Allen, and did so and led his steed forward along the trail which the rain had made slippery and treacherous.

Watson likewise got down and they now had to wait for another flash of lightning to show them just where they were. As the flash came Allen gave a look ahead.

”Well, I never!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.

”Wot did ye see?” came quickly from the old hunter.

”Slavin has tumbled down and the horse with him.”

”Then we've got the rascal sure!”

They plunged forward again. The trail was narrower than ever and the gully, or hollow, was on one side, and a fringe of mountain brush on the other.

Presently they heard something which served to increase their surprise.

Slavin was groaning as if in extreme pain.

”The fall hurt him,” said Allen, ”Look after my horse, will you? I am going ahead.”

He hurried on around a slight turn of the trail and through a clump of bushes and trees growing close to the edge of the hollow. As he emerged from the bushes a sight met his gaze that thrilled him to the backbone.

Slavin had fallen over the edge of the trail at a point where lay a huge half-rotted trunk of a tree. The trunk of the tree had slipped in the wet, rolled partly over the man, and was slowly but surely crus.h.i.+ng the life out of him!

CHAPTER XXVII.

Allen Shows His Bravery

”Slavin!”

”Hel-help!” gasped the poor wretch. ”Help! For the love of Heaven, help me!”

”How did you get under the tree trunk?”

”My horse kicked me and I fell. I tried to save myself from going into the hollow. Please help me!”

”Thet's wot ye git fer runnin' away,” put in Watson, who had appeared on the scene.

”Don't--don't talk! Save me!” was Slavin's only answer.

”We'll do what we can for you,” returned Allen.

Yet even as he spoke he realized how difficult, not to say dangerous, was the task which lay before him.