ater like so many large black dogs, springing in with heavy
splash after splash and beginning to swim.

This went on, to the amusement of the sailors, till every member of the
boat's black crew had been dragged into, or by his own effort had
climbed into, the planter's boat.

"Better be on the lookout, my lads," said the middy. "They may play us
false and row off."

"Not they, sir," said Tom confidently. "You may depend upon it they've
been squinting at us through them bamboozling reeds, and took all my
lesson in right up to the heft. I begin to think, sir, that when Mr
Huggins shows his ugly yellow phiz to us again he'll find that we've
been making a few friends among the niggers."

"I hope so, Tom; but all this time we've not been thinking about our
prisoner that we were set to watch."

"Yes, sir, and that's bad; but just you cheer up, sir, and all will come
right yet."

"But the prisoner, Tom--the prisoner," cried Murray sadly.

"Wait a bit, sir. Anyhow we've got his boat and his crew; and they
knows his ways, and perhaps 'll find out his whereabouts a good deal
better than we could."

"Yes, Tom, but--"

"Nothing like patience, sir," said the man. "You mark my words."

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

THE LOST PRISONER.

Murray looked angrily at the big sailor for a few minutes, and then,
mastering his annoyance at the easy way in which the man took his
trouble, he said--

"Oh, I'll have patience enough, Tom; but what is to be done next?"

Tom May scratched his head and his eyes wandered round till they lit
upon the shiny black face of the negro, who was watching him eagerly.

"I'd make that chap lead the way back to the cottage place, sir. He
knows all the ins and outs, and he'll show us in half the time we could
do it."

"That's good advice, Tom, but what for? I'm in no hurry to meet Mr
Anderson."

"But you've got to do it, sir, and the sooner you get it over the
better."

"That's true, Tom," said the middy sadly.

"'Sides, sir, how do we know but what Mr Allen may have come back while
we've been gone?"

"Tom!" cried Murray excitedly, and after the fashion of the proverbial
drowning man, he snatched at the straw the sailor held out to him.
Turning to the black, who was squatting at his feet, he cried, "Take us
to Mr Allen."

The slave nodded and grinned as he settled himself down, chattering the
while to his crew, who raised their oars ready to dip them in the placid
water, when a thou