the minute before had been seen to be in
motion had quite disappeared, though Murray could grasp the fact that
they must still be there.

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

"WAIT TILL DARK."

Long hours of weary waiting and expectation of being discovered, for at
intervals movements could be detected amongst the tall swaying canes and
patches of maize that could be made out beyond the wilderness of
undergrowth that lay between the little party of fugitives and the
cottage whose presence the black insisted upon as being in the direction
he pointed out.

But Murray had the satisfaction of noting that his brother midshipman
was slowly recovering his senses. Twice over he had opened his eyes to
gaze wonderingly in the face that looked down at him, and once when
Murray whispered a few encouraging words he shook his head and seemed to
sink back into a deep sleep again.

"What's to be done, Caesar?" said Murray softly.

"Do nothing, sah. Wait till come dark. Then creep, creep, creep froo
trees and tell massa officer not to shoot. Then run fas', get in
cottage."

Night at last, and with every nerve throbbing from excitement Murray
started up in readiness, for the black had bent over to whisper to him
that he was going to try and find a way past the several parties of the
enemy who were beleaguering the holders of the little cottage, whom it
was their aim now to rejoin.

"Massa stop now," said the man. "Wait till Caesar see."

The next minute there was a faint rustling sound, and Murray was alone
with the big black and his companion, both silent, the former watchful
and alert, and the latter as motionless as if plunged in the deepest
sleep.

This silence was to the midshipman the most painful part of the task
which he had been called upon to bear. His imagination began to set to
work at once and surrounded him with perils that were ever on the
increase. He knew from what he had seen that a strong body of the enemy
must be lying between him and his friends, but directly Caesar had
passed out of hearing it appeared to him that the crews of the slaver's
schooners had started into motion and were creeping round behind him to
cut him off, and twice over this was enforced by the great black
beginning to creep away and leaving him alone with Roberts.

Then when he was beside himself with anxiety as to what he had better
do, and more and more certain that he was completely left, he started to
find that the great fellow had