y."

I took hold of the bottom of the sail and made signs to the boy, but he
could not or would not understand, till the black uttered a guttural
word or two, when he came shrinkingly to my side, and took hold,
watching me the while as if to be aware of danger.

"Now then," said my father, "I don't suppose you two can lift; but if
you ease the load up a little from the ground, that will be all that is
necessary. Now together, Morgan."

They turned their backs on us as they took a good hold of the sail, and
began to drag our load toward the great barn-like shed at the end of the
house, reaching it without much difficulty, and drawing the sail right
over a quantity of dry corn-stalks.

Here, after giving them some food to eat if they desired it, we left
them and closed the door.

"There, Morgan," said my father, with a smile, as we crossed the garden,
"I am a slave-owner now like my neighbours, and as soon as that man is
well and strong, you will have no excuse for grumbling about the want of
help."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

I was so curious the next morning to see whether the slaves had run
away, that I crept down soon after daybreak, and a curious feeling of
vexation came over me as I saw that the door of the big shed was open.

"They're gone," I said, and ran back and down to the landing-place, to
see if they had taken to the boat.

But there it was, all safe, and I drew back and stood watching as I
caught sight of a droll-looking object, so busy that he had not noticed
me; for about forty yards away there was the boy, coating himself all
over with the soft yellow mud he scooped up from the stream, where he
stood about up to his knees, rubbing it well, and not forgetting his
woolly head, just as I might have used soap.

The appearance of the boy was so comical that I could hardly keep back a
laugh. But I refrained, and watched him earnestly at work for a few
minutes, before throwing himself down, and sluicing off the thin mud,
his black skin appearing once more, and ending by diving out into deep
water, and beginning to swim with an ease that I envied.

This went on for about ten minutes, when he came out dripping, gave
himself a shake, and then catching sight of me, ran up the bank and as
hard as he could go for the shed.

I followed, and on reaching it found that the boy was not visible,
having probably hidden himself among the corn-stalks, while his
companion lay sleeping heavily--a great savage-looki