Strong fingers compressed his throat, and he gasped for breath.
"Here, Paul," said Sol, "tear off a piece o' that skin an' stuff it into his mouth." Paul, who had leaped to his feet, obeyed at once.
"An' cut off some stout strips o' the same with this knife o' mine," said Shif'less Sol.
Paul again obeyed at once, and in three minutes Braxton Wyatt lay bound and gagged on the earthen floor.

Shif'less Sol Hyde and Paul Cotter stood over him, and looked down at him, and even in the dark they saw the terror of all things in his eyes.
"The Lord has been good to us to-night, Paul," said Shif'less Sol, with a certain solemnity, "an' He wuz best o' all when He sent this hound here a-spyin'." "You know what he is ?" said Paul.
"Ef I don't know, I've guessed." Then the two stood silent for a little space, still gazing down at Braxton Wyatt, bound and gagged.

Paul had never before seen such stark dread in the eyes of any one, and he shuddered.

Despite himself, he felt a certain amount of pity.
"He would have lured a boat-load of our people into the hands of the savages," he said.
"I'll put this knife in his foul heart, Paul," said Shif'less Sol.
The bound figure quivered in its bonds, and the eyes became wild and appealing.
"No, not that," replied Paul; "I couldn't bear to see anyone helpless put to death." "It was just the thought uv a moment," said Shif'less Sol.

"We've got a better use fur him.