n; "how did you know?"

"Don't you see, father?" cried Rifle, indignantly; "it was poor old
Shanter."

"What? You went for help, Tam?"

"Yohi," said the black simply. "Baal budgery stop along. All go bong."

"My good brave fellow," cried the captain, seizing the black's hand in a
true English grip.

"Wow! wow! yow!" yelled Shanter, struggling to get free, and then
blowing his fingers. "Marmi hurt mine. Burn hands, burn all down
front, put out fire."

"Tam, I shall never forgive myself," cried the captain.

"Forgib mine," cried the black eagerly; "forgib plenty soff damper--
forgib mine horse fellow to ride?"

"Yes, yes, anything," cried the captain, "and never doubt you again."

"Yohi," cried Shanter. "Where big white Mary? Mine want damper."

He hurried off to where the ladies were seated, trying to recover their
calmness after the terrible shock to which they had been exposed, while
the captain turned to the leaders of the rescue party.

"And the black came to you for help?"

"Yes," said Dr Freeston. "He came galloping up with a drove of horses,
I don't know how many days ago, for it has been like an excited dream
ever since. I ran to Henley, and we got ten stout fellows together, and
rode on as fast as we could, but I'm afraid that we have punished your
horses terribly as well as our own."

"Oh, never mind the horses," cried Henley, "they'll come round. But we
came in time, and that's enough for us."

The captain could not speak for a few moments. Then he was himself
again, and after all were satisfied that there was not the slightest
danger of the fire breaking out again, proper precautions were taken to
secure the horses, watch was set, and the rescue party had quite a
little banquet in the kitchen, one which Rifle declared to be a supper
at breakfast time, for morning was upon them before some of the most
weary had lain down to sleep, and slept in peace.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

"CAN'T YOU SEE?"

For the blacks made no further sign, and when, headed by the captain,
the little party boldly took up the trail that morning, it was to find
that the enemy had fled in haste, and not until it was felt to be
utterly useless to follow farther was the pursuit given up. But that
attempt to hunt them down was not without result. Shanter was with the
party, riding in high delight with the three boys, and every now and
then, in his eager scouting on his "horse fellow"--as he called the
rough