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time directing two of his warriors to confine me in a dugout in one of the trenches

close to his own shelter.

Here they threw me upon the ground, binding my ankles together and trussing

them up to my wrists behind. There they left me, lying upon my stomach--a most

uncomfortable and strained position, to which was added the pain where the

cords cut into my flesh.

Just a few days ago my mind had been filled with the anticipation of the friendly

welcome I should find among the cultured Englishmen of London. Today I should

be sitting in the place of honor at the banquet board of one of London's most

exclusive clubs, feted and lionized.

The actuality! Here I lay, bound hand and foot, doubtless almost upon the very

site of a part of ancient London, yet all about me was a primeval wilderness, and I

was a captive of half-naked wild men.

I wondered what had become of Delcarte and Taylor and Snider. Would they

search for me? They could never find me, I feared, yet if they did, what could

they accomplish against this horde of savage warriors?

Would that I could warn them. I thought of the girl--doubtless she could get

word to them, but how was I to communicate with her? Would she come to see

me before I was killed? It seemed incredible that she should not make some

slight attempt to befriend me; yet, as I recalled, she had made no effort to speak

with me after we had reached the village. She had hastened to her mother the

moment she had been liberated. Though she had returned with the old queen,

she had not spoken to me, even then. I began to have my doubts.

Finally, I came to the conclusion that I was absolutely friendless except for the

old queen. For some unaccountable reason my rage against the girl for her

ingratitude rose to colossal proportions.

For a long time I waited for some one to come to my prison whom I might ask to

bear word to the queen, but I seemed to have been forgotten. The strained

position in which I lay became unbearable. I wriggled and twisted until I

managed to turn myself partially upon my side, where I lay half facing the

entrance to the dugout.

Presently my attention was attracted by the shadow of something moving in the

trench without, and a moment later the figure of a child appeared, creeping upon

all fours, as, wide-eyed, and prompted by childish curiosity, a little girl crawled to

the entrance of my hut and peered cautiously and fearfully in.

The Lost Continent