, as
though it issued from the innermost recesses of his soul!

I did not wait till that cry was ended. A fence of six rails separated
me from the sufferer; but what of that? I did not hesitate a moment,
but winding my horse round to give him the run, I headed him at the
leap, and with a touch of the spur lifted him into the inclosure. I did
not even stay to dismount, but galloping up to the platform, laid my
whip across the naked shoulders of the Bambarra with all the force that
lay in my arm. The astonished savage dropped the pump-handle as if it
had been iron at a white heat; and leaping from the platform, ran off
howling to his cabin!

Exclamations and loud murmurings of applause followed; but my horse,
brought so suddenly to this exciting work, snorted and plunged, and it
was some time before I could quiet him. While thus engaged, I observed
that the exclamations were suddenly discontinued; and the murmurs of
applause were succeeded by a dead, ominous silence! I could hear
several of the negroes nearest me muttering some words of caution, as
though meant for me; among others the cry of--

"De oberseer! de oberseer! Look out, mass'r! Dar he kum!"

At that moment an abominable oath, uttered in a loud voice, reached my
ears. I looked in the direction whence it came. As I anticipated, it
was the overseer.

He was just issuing from the back-door of his house, from a window of
which he had been all the while a spectator of Scipio's torture!

I had not come in contact with this person before; and I now saw
approaching a man of fierce and brutal aspect, somewhat flashily
dressed, and carrying in his hand a thick waggon-whip. I could see that
his face was livid with rage, and that he was directing himself to
attack me. I had no weapon but my riding-whip, and with this I prepared
to receive his assault.

He came on at a run, all the while venting the most diabolical curses.

When he had got nearly up to my horse's head, he stopped a moment, and
thundered out--

"Who the Hell are you, meddling with my affairs? Who the damn are--"

He suddenly paused in his speech, and stood staring in astonishment. I
reciprocated that astonishment, for I had now recognised in the brutal
overseer my antagonist of the boat! the hero of the bowie-knife! At the
same instant he recognised me.

The pause which was the result of our mutual surprise, lasted but a
moment.

"Hell and furies!" cried the ruffian, changing hi