out him."

"We must get him ashore," said my father; and after securing the boat
parallel with the log which formed the bottom of the landing-place, they
managed to get the poor creature, who was quite an inert mass, out upon
the bank, and then, after placing one of the bottom-boards of the boat
under his back, I joined in, and we dragged him right up to where the
boy lay insensible.

"I'm afraid we are too late," said my father, as he felt the black's
pulse.

"Yes, sir, you've threw good money away here," said Morgan; "he'll never
do a stroke of work for us, but thank you kindly for meaning help all
the same, and I must try what I can do with the boy."

"Is he dead, father?" I whispered, in an awe-stricken tone.

"No, but dying, I am afraid. He has been starved and suffocated in that
vile schooner. Good heavens! How can men be such fiends?"

"Ay, that can't do no harm," said Morgan, as I filled the boat's baler
with water, and knelt down by the negro's side to begin trickling a few
drops from time to time between his cracked lips, and sprinkling his
face.

"I will fetch a few drops of spirit," said my father. "Keep on giving
him a little water."

He went away toward the house while I continued my task, and Morgan kept
up a running commentary upon the man's appearance.

"Pity, too," he said. "Master oughtn't to have let them cheat him
though, like this. Fine working chap. See what a broad, deep chest
he's got, Master George. Don't think much of his legs, but he's got
wonderful arms. My! What a sight of hoeing I could have got him to do,
but it's a case of hoe dear me! With him, I'm afraid."

"You don't think he'll die, Morgan, do you?" I said, piteously.

"Ay, but I do, my dear lad. They've 'bout killed him. We want help,
but I'm 'fraid all that slave-dealing's 'bout as bad as bad can be.
Give him a few more drops o' water; those others trickled down."

I gave the man a few more drops, pouring them from my fingers almost at
minute intervals, but he made no sign. Then, all at once, I felt half
startled, for a pair of eyes were watching me, and I saw that the boy
had recovered sufficiently to be noticing everything that was going on.

As our eyes met, he looked at me like a fierce dog who was watching for
an opportunity to make a successful snap; but as he saw me trickle a few
more drops of water between the man's lips, his face suddenly grew
eager, and he looked at me, found my eyes fixed u