oning me
to do the same. Then pulling an old tobacco-pipe out of his pocket, he
affected to be calmly employed in filling it when the pursuers came up.
There were two of them, in straw hats and nankeen pantaloons, armed with
cudgels, and a more ruffianly pair of villains I never saw before or
since.

"Hallo! strangers," cried one, as they halted for a few moments on
observing us. "Queer place to camp. Fond o' water and dirt, I guess?"

"You seem fond o' dirt and not o' water, to judge from your faces,"
replied Jack, calmly, attempting to light his pipe, which was rather a
difficult operation, seeing that it was empty and he had no fire. "Ah!
my light's out. Could you lend us a match, friend?"

"No, we can't. No time. Hain't got none. Did you see a nigger pass
this way?"

"Ha! you're after him, are you?" cried Jack, indignantly. "Do you
suppose I'd tell you if I did? Go and find him for yourselves."

The two men frowned fiercely at this, and appeared about to attack us.
But they changed their minds, and said, "Mayhap you'll tell us if ye saw
two hounds, then?"

"Yes, I did."

"Which way did they pass?"

"They haven't passed yet," replied Jack, with deep sarcasm, at the same
time quietly lifting his leg, and swaying it gently to and fro; "whether
they'll pass without a licking remains to be seen."

"Look 'ee, lads, we'll pay you for this," shouted the men as they turned
away. "We've not time to waste now, _but we'll come back_."

I remonstrated with my friend. "You're too rash, Jack."

"Why? We don't need to fear _two_ men!"

"Ay, but there may be more in the woods."

My surmise was correct. Half an hour after, the hound was heard
returning. It came straight at us, followed by at least a dozen men.
Jack killed the dog with one blow, and felled the first man that came
up, but we were overwhelmed by numbers, and, in a much shorter time than
it takes to tell it, both of us were knocked into the mud and rendered
insensible.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER 9.

On recovering from the stunning effects of the blow that had felled me,
I found myself lying on a hard earthen floor, surrounded by deep
impenetrable darkness.

"Are you there, Jack?" I sighed faintly.

"Ay, Bob, I'm here--at least, all o' me that's left. I confess to you
that I do feel a queer sensation, as if the one half of my head were
absent and the other half a-wanting, while the brain lies exposed to the
atmosphere. But I suppose t