, collect
wood for a fire and boughs for a shanty, while I go and try my luck."

Saying this, our kind-hearted tutor took his rifle and soon disappeared
in the forest. We, in the meantime, were too much occupied in obeying
his directions to put any further questions to the negro, whose eyes,
however, were turned towards us as we moved about. We had soon
collected sufficient fuel to last us during the night, and then employed
ourselves in cutting down some young trees and lopping off some boughs.
While thus engaged we heard two shots. A short time afterwards the
Dominie appeared, carrying a turkey in one hand and a small fawn over
his shoulder.

"We've food here, boys, for ourselves and enough to set the negro on his
legs again," he exclaimed as he approached us. "Well done, I see you
haven't been idle; now kindle the fire while I fix up the shanty. I
should like to get our poor friend here under cover as soon as possible,
for more reasons than one, and he'll be the better for a mug of soup."

The Dominie, among other articles, had carried, I should have said, a
small saucepan, which had served to fetch water, boil our tea, and was
equally applicable for making a small quantity of soup. While I made up
the fire, Dan, having filled the saucepan from the stream, plucked the
turkey and cut up a part of it into small pieces. We then put it on to
boil. The Dominie in the meantime had flayed the deer and spitted a
couple of joints to roast, together with the remainder of the bird.
This done, he finished the shanty, into which we lifted the black, and
placed him on a bed of small twigs and leaves, a far more comfortable
couch than from his appearance we suspected he had enjoyed for a long
time. His looks, more than his words, expressed his gratitude, though
he continued to murmur--

"Tankee, tankee, massa; God bless massa!" his vocabulary not enabling
him to use any set phrases.

It was dark before the soup was ready. As soon as it was sufficiently
cool, and I had added some pepper and salt, I took it to him.

"Oh, massa! dis too much good to poor nigger," he murmured as he supped
it up; and almost immediately afterwards sinking back, he fell into a
deep slumber.

"I don't care whether the black is a runaway slave or not, but I tell
you what, boys, we must be cautious how we proceed with him, the chances
are that he is pursued," said the Dominie as we were seated before the
fire eating our ample supper. "If s