“Oh, I know I shall die! I am not ready to die! It is a terrible thing to have to die! Save me--save me somehow!”
“Keep still,” ordered Frank, sharply. “It’s useless to get so excited. From the looks, I do not believe this wound is serious, although it is bleeding profusely. I want this hood.”
He took it from Dyke’s head and tore it into strips. Then, with skill that set those who watched him wondering, he bound up the wound, aided by the big fellow.
“There,” said Frank, “that will stop the bleeding in a measure; but you must get to the nearest doctor as soon as you can, and have the cut properly treated.”
“Come,” said the big whitecap, touching Frank’s arm.
But Merry waited till he had seen Dyke assisted to his feet.
“It is walk or bleed to death, and you have your choice,” said Frank.
It was wonderful how soon Dyke was able to walk.
As Frank and the companion who had befriended him were leaving, one of the other whitecaps spoke to their companion.
“Look here,” he said, “you are not going to blow on us?”
“Not on your life!” was the answer. “You need not be afraid of that. I shall not blow on any of my pals.”
Then Frank and his strange friend set out through the woods and the darkness, Merry following the lead of the other.
They proceeded in silence till the edge of the woods was reached. There the big fellow halted, saying:
“All right,” said Frank, holding out his hand. “I want to thank you for your friendship.”
“I think you do. But for you, I might have walked on crutches for some time to come, or been crippled for the remainder of my life. I was in a bad box, and I could not help myself.”
“That is true, but I helped put you in that box. Not till you showed your nerve was I ready to stand by you. If you had been a coward, I should not have had the least sympathy with you; but I couldn’t stand by and see Conrad torture a chap with sand.”
“Won’t you tell me your name? You may be sure of my friendship. You need not fear to trust me.”
“I do not fear to trust you, for I am sure that a fellow with your grit is on the level; but I do not deserve your friendship, and I will not tell you my name. It makes no difference who I am. You may be sure I am of no account, or I would not be in with such a gang.”