oice, as, drawing his
sword, he sprang forward. "Send those rascals to the right about."

Uttering a shout, I imitated his example.

The blacks, evidently supposing that a strong body of whites was upon
them, turned, and endeavoured to make their way through the brushwood,
without looking back to see who was pursuing them. As they had no other
encumbrances than their muskets, they soon distanced us. Not one of
them fell, for Mr Talboys refrained from firing, as did I, waiting
until he told me to do so.

"Now, my young friend, it will be well to beat a retreat before these
rascals discover that we are alone," he said.

We were about to do as he proposed, when, unfortunately, one of the
blacks, who was nearer to us than the rest, looked round, and seeing no
one besides us, shouted to his companions. Now one stopped, now
another, till the whole party came to a stand-still, turned round, and
faced us.

"Spring back and try to get under cover," said Mr Talboys in a low
voice. "If the fellows advance, fire; but not till then. I'll speak to
them." He then shouted, "You have carried off two young people from my
house. Give them up at once unhurt, and we will not punish you as you
deserve; but if they're injured, not one of you shall escape hanging."

"We not got de young white folks here," sang out a voice from among the
negroes. "You talk ob hanging, massa; take care we not hang you. What
we stop here for?" continued the speaker to his companions; "dere not
many dere, or dey cum on."

From the way the blacks were looking, I guessed that they were trying to
discover how many persons were opposed to them; but as yet they fancied
that there were others behind us.

"Do you quietly retreat, my young friend," said Mr Talboys in a low
voice. "Make your way back to the house as fast as you can, and tell
them to be on their guard. I can manage these fellows as well alone,
and your life would be needlessly risked by remaining."

"I will do as you wish, sir; but if there's to be fighting, I should
prefer to stay by you," I answered.

"I'll try to avoid it, then," said my friend, and once more he spoke to
the blacks.

"If the young folks are not with you, tell me where they are."

"We know nothin'," answered the black. "Maybe by dis time dey hang from
de branch ob one tree."

"I don't believe that any of you would have had the cruelty to kill
them," he cried out. "Do as I wish you," he continued, in a low voi