e, worked itself through his head, and the intention was
accordingly given over for the present.

"One thing _am_ sartin, howsumever," he added. "I'm hungry, and I know
dar am some meat left by dat camp-fire, dat would relish high jus' now.
But had I oughter to go dar or not? Dey mought found me, but den I'm
hungry."

When our own personal feelings are put into the balance, they are apt to
outweigh the dictates of prudence and sense. The experiences of the
night, although fraught in their teachings to the ignorant black man,
had not as yet attained sufficient dignity to stand before the animal
feelings of his nature.

Although he comprehended in a degree the risk he run, he decided it was
worth his while to do it, rather than suffer for a few hours longer the
cravings of what was only a moderate degree of hunger.

"De stummich am de most importantest part ob man, and consequently am de
fust thing dat should receive his undiwided attention."

With this philosophical conclusion, he turned his footsteps toward the
camp-fire. Despite its proximity, he experienced considerable difficulty
in finding it. The few smoldering embers, gleaming like a demon's eye,
guided him, however, to the spot.

"Dar _am_ anoder matter sartin," thought he, as he came up. "Mr.
Zebenezer Langdon is not agwine to be able to s'arch here for de meat
onless he has some more light--Ki! dat coal am warm!" he exclaimed, as
he hopped off from the fiery end of a fagot.

It required but a few moments to gather sufficient fuel to replenish the
fire. The hot coals set the wood almost immediately into a roaring
blaze, which threw a warm, rich light through the surrounding woods for
many yards around.

Zeb was radiant with smiles. The cool night and the constrained position
had chilled him considerably, and he gave the fire a few moments to
infuse the comfortable warmth into his person.

"Now I'll jes' warm up my hands like," said he, after a few minutes,
"and den I'll go to work;" and forthwith he held them toward the blaze,
rubbing and turning them into each other with great zest and enjoyment.

"_Dar_, I guess dat'll do. Now I'll make a s'arch--Gorra! whar did _you_
come from?"

As the negro turned, he found himself standing face to face with the two
Shawnees who had started in his pursuit but a short time before! He
realized that he was recaptured, and made no resistance. He was
instantly re-bound to the very tree from which he had escaped, whi