mmediate vicinity with such a dark color, that its
pursuer is completely befogged and gives up the hopeless chase in
disgust.

A realizing sense of his recklessness and his imminent peril came over
Zeb when he felled the rising Shawnee to the earth. It was his
intention, in the first place, to serve every one in the same manner;
but as they came to their feet far more rapidly than he anticipated, he
gave over the idea, and, with a "Ki! yi!" plunged headlong into the
woods. At this very juncture, the attention of the Indians was taken up
with Leland, as the more important captive of the two, and for a moment
the negro escaped notice; but the instant the four started after him,
two others gave Zeb their undivided attention.

The sable fugitive, with all his recklessness, did the very best thing
that could have been done under the circumstances. Instead of fleeing,
as did Leland, he ran less than a hundred yards, when he halted abruptly
and took a position behind a sapling. Here he stood as motionless as
death, while his enemies came on. Whether his intensely black
countenance had the power of diffusing deeper darkness into the
surrounding gloom, or whether it was the unexpected manner of his flight
that deluded his pursuers, we are unable to say. Certain it is that
although the two savages passed very closely to him, neither saw nor
suspected his presence.

"Gorra, but dat's soothin'," chuckled Zeb. "Dey've missed me dis time,
shuah! Wonder whether dey'll outlive dar disapp'intment, when dey finds
out dat when dey finds me, dey hain't found me! Ki! yi!"

He maintained his motionless position for several moments longer, all
the while listening for his enemies. As their footsteps finally died out
in the distance, and he realized that he was left alone indeed, his
former characteristic returned to him.

"What's to be done, dat _am_ de question!" said he, speaking in an
incautiously loud voice, as he spread out his left hand at the same
time, and rested the forefinger of his right upon it. "In de _fust_
place, I don't know what has become of Master Leland. If he's done got
away, how am I to find him? If I sets up a yell to cotch his ear, like
'nuff de oders will hear it also likewise. Den if he hasn't got away
what _am_ de use ob bawlin' to him. Guess I won't bawl."

So much was settled at least. The fact that it would not only be a
useless but an extremely dangerous undertaking to make an outcry at that
particular tim