Tom Dare and Tim returned somewhat slowly to the camp after the firing had ceased, and the Indians had retired from the attack.

"It's hard to see any man shot down before your eyes," said Tom, "but it's a good thing for you and I, Tim, that the trooper that heard Dick call us by name isn't here to tell the story."

"Sure, if he was, it's you and I, me bye, would now be chasin' the woods through trying to foind that brother of yours and his rid skinned frinds."

"Come along, we'll go report to the major, and see where we stand," said Tom.

"Good," replied Tim, "Do you know, Tom, it's a lucky thing for us, it is, thot with thot crazy Dootchman firin' at us we wern't kilt entirely."

"Careful, Tim, don't talk too much with these men around. They might overhear something."

The two boys had reached the major by now, and going up to him, saluted. Tim said that saluting a British major was the hardest work he had ever done in his short but eventful life.

The major was plainly upset by the loss his troops had suffered, but he evidently did not suspect the boys of anything wrong, for he smiled gravely when he saw them, and merely said, "There will be plenty of room in the troop for you two now, I think. We have driven off those red-skinned devils, but it has cost us pretty dearly. You two gave the first alarm, didn't you?"

"I think we were the first to discover the enemy," replied Tom, quietly.

"Good," returned the officer, "I shall remember your services."

When they had withdrawn, Tim had great difficulty in restraining his laughter, but they soon had to turn and help the wounded troopers, which effectually drove all thoughts of mirth out of the boys' minds.

The wounded men were made as comfortable as possible, and it was decided to dispatch a messenger to the ten troopers who had been sent down with the horses, to come up and convey them back to the nearest settlement for further care.

The dead were to be buried in the morning, and it was almost daybreak when the tired soldiers and Tom and Tim finally turned in to snatch a hasty nap. They threw out an ample picket line and waited for morning to take up the pursuit again.

Early on the morrow the camp was all astir, and before taking up the trail again, a council of war was held, and it was decided to execute the Indian prisoner, whose capture had brought about the attack, as a lesson to the redmen.

Tom heard of this brutal plan, and resolved to see what he could do to upset the arrangements. He and Tim talked it over, but could arrive at no safe way to set the Indian free. Any friendly move on their part would have brought trouble upon their own heads, and they were still seeking for a feasible scheme when the company took up the march, the Indian in their midst, with his hands tied behind him.

"Ividently they are not going to have the hanging hereabouts," said Tim.

"No, they must be hard to suit," replied Tom. "There are dozens of big trees all around, and yet there are none that please them."

"Oi have an oidea that it's some showy place the villains are afther."

"Probably," agreed Tom. "They want to make an example so that every Indian that goes through these forsaken parts can see."

"Hi there, boys, the major wants you back at the end of the line," called a trooper to Tim and Tom, just then.

"All right," responded Tom, as they turned to obey the summons.

"Phat can the ould feller be afther?" queried Tim.

"Don't know," answered Tom. "But we'll see in a minute."

The major was walking rapidly along behind the first company of men, and by his side the young southerner, who had been in turn so antagonistic to each of the Dare boys.

"There is a very serious charge against you, young men," said the officer. "Mr. Andrews, here, says you are friends of the party we are after, and that during the fight last night you communicated with them. What have you to say?"

"Evidently, Mr. Andrews has been misinformed, for we held no communication with the enemy last night, and I hoped that we had proved our loyalty before you to your cause, by our actions," replied Tom, looking the young civilian up and down while he was speaking, as if he was some object of curiosity.

"I thought myself that you were all right, last night, but it seems that no one remembers seeing you after the first alarm until the fighting was over, and that fact, together with Mr. Andrews' suspicions, and the further fact that you were with us under rather peculiar circumstances, forces me to put you to the test."

The major paused here, and both the boys wondered what sort of test the trial was to be.

"Well, foire ahead," said Tim, impatiently, "we are here because you keep us, and thin you are afther doubtin' our wantin' to be with ye."

"If you are with us as spies, and are friendly with the other party, you know the penalty, of course," said the officer, sternly. "We propose to hang the Indian prisoner this morning, if we reach the proper place before noon, and that execution will give you a good chance to prove yourselves. You are to be the ones to carry out the sentence!"

Tom was dumfounded. They meant to make Tim and himself commit the murder, for that was what it would amount to, of one of their own allies, one of the men who had helped Dick and Fritz. The idea was a shrewd one on the part of the British.

Tim, however, instead of being upset by the idea, merely grew angry.

"Faith, an' out of two respictable, quiet citizens, you would be makin' us to be your executioners, would ye?" he questioned angrily.

The major shrugged his shoulders.

"Look at it as you like, my man," he replied. "If you are with us it won't be hard, and if you are against us, well you can take your choice."

Yes, that was just it. They had planned as nice a trap for the two boys as could be invented. Tom felt tempted to blow out the major's brains where he stood and take their chances in the woods. But the odds were too great even for his daring spirit, and the Indian would be still in the same position as he was now in.

"We must give that matter a little thought," said Tom, finally. "Even in our position as members of this troop, we need to get accustomed to our task, and if we may talk it over for a few minutes we may be able to reconcile ourselves to our disagreeable duty."

"You haven't much time," said the major, shortly. "We may come to our selected place any minute, now, so be quick, and you had better turn over your guns to the corporal in the meantime. After you have proven yourselves worthy you can have them back, and we will admit you in full standing to the troop."

As they turned away there was a sneer on the face of the young southerner, and Tom felt doubly anxious to beat out their enemies on that account, for he had grown to cordially dislike the young civilian.

"Sure, an' we seem to be up against it, intirely," said Tim, gloomily. "We can't hang the poor divil of an Injin, an' if we don't there'll be no more of the likes of us around much longer, whatever."

"We have got to figure some way out of this," Tom said, firmly. "Have you any weapons about you?"

"Weapons is it?" asked Tim. "If ye can call this foldin' knife a weapon, ye'll be doin' well."

"It may be better than nothing," said Tom. "Try to keep it, anyhow, and don't let anyone see it again."

"Where is it they are so anxious to hold their entertainmint?" asked Tim.

"I don't know. We'll ask some of the men," answered Tom.

"Ask the corporal," said the first trooper they questioned. "He has been through here before, and it's him as has picked out the spot."

The boys went forward to find the corporal. They came up to him, near the head of the line.

"Where is it we are going to string up the Indian?" asked Tom, indifferently.

"Oh, it's a great place for a sign like that to hang," replied the corporal. "There is a big bare tree, I think it's a cedar, and it's right on top of a rocky mountain's back. The trail we are following leads right up to it, and the only other trail around here runs——"

"The major wants you at once!" a soldier ran up and interrupted them just at that point.

"Runs where?" said Tom, eagerly.

"I will tell you when you come back from the major. We are most there now, so you will see for yourself soon."

"So there is another trail, Tim," said Tom, excitedly. "And to think that we almost got a description of it, and then we are sent for. Well, we'll tell that old fox of a major that we'll obey his commands under protest, and run our chances of——"

"If it don't rain, it'll be a foine day, Oi'm thinkin'," said Tim, cutting short Tom's comment and plans as the young southerner came into sight.

"Do you know, Tom, there are some parties, mentionin' no names, moind ye, that are certainly very nosy around these parts."

"And I'm thinkin', my young rebel, that there'll be two young spies less 'nosey' before a great while," rejoined the youth. "For one, I shall be glad to see the end of you."

"Phat a happy party it would be with anither wan loike you about," replied Tim, looking for further trouble with their enemy.

But the youth chose to ignore him, and hurried on to the major, with the two boys following.

"Well," asked the officer, when they had come up, "what have you decided?"

"There wasn't much to decide," replied Tom. "We shall have to obey your orders, but we shall do so under protest, and shall report the matter to the representatives of the crown when we get back to Philadelphia."

"I represent His Majesty, here," said the major, "and your complaints will do no good. We are, I understand, approaching the spot which has been selected for you to perform your duty in, and you will soon be called upon to do your part and prove your assertion that you are not spies."

"We'll do our part," said Tom, grimly, and thought at the same time that perhaps that part would be a counter surprise to the major.

The morning was well advanced before they finally came to a sharp rise in the trail, and after a half hour of climbing, they reached the summit of the ridge. The party ahead of them seemed to have scattered where the trail began to rise, and they were unable to find any trace of them on the upper ridge of the mountain.

The great tree that had probably served before in the same gruesome office for which it was selected to-day, stood bare and forbidding against the sky line.

There didn't seem to be anything but sky beyond the edge of the ridge, while the trail they were on ran just below the top, and along the back of the mountain. There certainly was no escape in that direction.

The troopers formed in a semi-circle to prevent any bolt for liberty, and the two boys walked forward with the Indian between them. His hands were still tied behind his back, and of the entire party, the redman seemed to be the least affected. He was prepared to accept his fate with the calm stoicism of his race.

"If we cut your ropes, can we escape?" inquired Tom, softly, as they drew near the tree.

The Indian's eyes glinted responsively, and he nodded his head affirmatively.

"How?" asked Tom, pretending to fix the rope which was supposed to swing the Indian off his feet.

"Over the cliff edge. Roll down," replied the Redman.

Tom glanced up at the branches of the tree, apparently selecting one over which to throw the rope. In reality he was looking over the side of the cliff, and it was not an encouraging view. There was what looked like a straight drop of a hundred feet before he saw a ledge, and further down in the valley he could make out the glitter of a tiny stream, rushing down through the valley.

"Hurry up, there," called an authoritative voice from the half circle of troopers.

"All ready," called back Tom. Then in a whisper, he said, "Out with your knife, Tim and slice those wrist cords, and when I throw the end of this rope up into the tree, over the edge we must go. Relax your muscles and drop. Understand?" he asked, turning to the Indian.

"Ugh, good," he replied.

Tim stepped behind the redskin, and with one strong pull, severed the rope about his wrists. The Indian never moved his arms to indicate to the others what had been done, and at that minute Tom hurled the end of the rope high into the air, and instantly dropped over the edge of the cliff.

The other two followed on Tom Dare's heels, and a volley rang out almost coincidently.