CHAPTER XX.
A CLIMB FOR LIBERTY.
A youth in the situation of Fred Greenwood cannot reason clearly, even though he be right in his main conclusions.

He had settled into the belief that Motoza, the Sioux, had determined to subject him to a lingering death through starvation; and yet if it were he--as undoubtedly it was--who rolled the boulder into the canyon, it indicated a wish to put the most sudden end possible to his existence.
It would be painful to attempt to describe the experience of the lad in the cavern at the side of the canyon.

As is often the case, his hunger diminished and was succeeded by a dull indifference, in which the suffering of the mind outweighed that of the body.

The dreadful day at last drew to an end, and his situation and condition were much the same as earlier in the forenoon.

He had not seen a living person, and had given over all hope of another visit from his merciless enemy.
"He means that I shall perish for want of food, and there is no help for it." But with the coming of darkness the energy of the boy's nature asserted itself.