With an exclamation of impatience, Haines rose to his feet, gave a
careless glance at the rope which bound Walter, and then replied to the
Indian as he went quickly in the direction from which the hail had come.

Left alone, Walter looked around, as if expecting to see some one who
might aid him, and then tugged and strained at his bonds, trying to wrench
free either hand or foot.

The rope had been tied too securely to admit of his slipping a knot, but
it was nearly new, and the prisoner's heart beat fast as he realized that
by exerting all his strength it would be possible to stretch it a trifle.

If he could succeed in making his escape immediately, all might yet be
well; but if he was forced to remain there until his captors returned,
there was little chance he would have another opportunity.

Regardless of the pain, he writhed and twisted until bead-like drops of
perspiration stood out on his forehead, and at the instant when he was
convinced all efforts were useless, that portion of the rope which
confined his wrists suddenly loosened sufficiently to enable him to
withdraw one hand at the expense of no slight amount of skin from the
knuckles.

Once he was thus far on the road to escape, the remainder was
comparatively simple.

With the hand which was free he untied the knots, and in less than five
minutes from the time Haines disappeared among the foliage, he was at
liberty.