Fred drew his revolver with the purpose of giving him a shot, when he reflected that it would be wisdom not to kill the animal until he was forced to do it in self defense.  So he shoved the weapon back in its place, where it could be seized at a moment’s warning, and sat still.  In a few moments the wolf ventured softly up to him, and preparing to begin his feast.  The boy, yielding to a strange whim, threw out his arms and made a grab at him.

The affrighted creature made a leap to escape the embrace, and Fred grasped his tail with both hands.  This made the wolf wild with terror, and away he leaped.  The boy hung on, running with might and main in his efforts to keep up.  The brute, not knowing what he had in tow, was only intent upon getting away, and he plunged ahead as furiously as if a blazing torch was tied to his tail.  Fred was fully imbued with the “spirit of the occasion,” and resolved not to part company with his guide, unless the caudal appendage should detach itself from its owner.  The wolf was naturally much more fleet of foot, but his efforts of speed only increased that of the lad, who, still clinging to his support, labored with might and main.

Away, away they went!

Now he was down on his knees; then clambering up again; then banging against the rocks—­still onward, until he found himself flat on his face, still holding to his support, while the wolf was clutching and clawing to get away.  They were in such a narrow passage way that Fred could not rise.  Unclasping one hand, he held on with the other, while he worked along after him.  For a long time this savage scratching, struggling and toiling continued, and then, all at once, Fred was dazzled by the overpowering flood of light.

He had escaped from the cave in the mountain, and was in the outside world again.

CHAPTER IV.

Sunlight and hope.

By clinging to the tail of the terrified wolf, Fred Munson had been assisted, dragged, and pulled from the Cimmerian gloom of the mountain cave into the glorious sunlight again.  When the glare of light burst upon him, he let go of the queer aid to freedom, and the mystified animal skurried away with increased speed.

For a time the lad was so dazed and bewildered that he scarcely comprehended his good fortune.  His eyes had been totally unaccustomed to light for so long a time that the retina was overpowered by the sudden flood of it and required time to accommodate itself to the new order of things.  A few minutes were sufficient.  And then, when he looked about and saw that he was indeed outside of the cave which had been such an appalling prison to him, Fred was fairly wild with joy.

It was all he could do to restrain himself from shouting, whooping and hurrahing at the top of his voice.  It was only the recollection that there were a number of Apaches near at hand that sufficed to keep his voice toned down.  But he danced and swung his arms, and threw himself here and there in a way that would have made a spectator certain that he was hilariously crazy.  Not until he was thoroughly used up did he consent to pause and take a breathing spell.  Then he gasped out, as well as he could, during his hurried breathing: