226 MARTIN RATTLER.

much farina as he could carry without inconvenience.
Besides this, he appropriated a long knife, a small
hatchet, a flint and steel to enable him to make a
fire, and a stout bow, with a quiver full of arrows.
It was so dark that it was with difficulty he found
these things. But as he was on the point of leaving
he observed a white object in a corner. This turned
out to be a light hammock, which he seized eagerly,
and, rolling it up into a small bundle, placed it in the
sack. He also sought for, and fortunately found, an
old straw hat, which he put on.

Martin had now obtained all that he required, and
was about to quit the hut when he became suddenly
rooted to the spot with horror on observing the dark
countenance of an Indian gazing at him with distended
eyeballs over the edge of a hammock. His eyes, un-
accustomed to the darkness of the room, had not at
first observed that an Indian was sleeping there. He
now felt that he was lost. The savage evidently
knew him. Dreadful thoughts flashed through his
brain. He thought of the knife in his belt, and how
easily he could despatch the Indian in a moment as
he lay; but then the idea of imbruing his hands in
human blood seemed so awful that he could not bring
himself to do it.

As he looked steadily at the savage he observed