man. I saw it down below; it is not worth much,
and I wouldn't give two dollars for it," said Deck somewhat
impatiently.

"I takes folks ober de riber in it, and some days I makes twenty cents
wid it. Can't affode to lose it, Mars'r," protested Cuffy.

"If you lose it, I will give you another."

"Dat so? Whar's yo' boat?"

"It is down below there, and you will not have to wait a single hour
for it."

"Whar you git dat boat, Mars'r?"

"No matter about that now; I will tell you when we have more time,"
replied Deck, as he rode his horse to a tree, followed by both of his
companions, and secured him to the sapling, as did the others.

Returning to the bank, they lay down upon the ground, where they could
see the four troopers without being seen. They had found the negro's
flatboat, and carried it to the stream. This was done, perhaps, half a
mile above where the wanderers had landed, and the current was not so
violent as it was where the water concentrated all its force against
the lofty bluff.

The Southrons put the boat into the water after they had tipped it
over, and emptied out the leakage or the rain which it contained. Then
they seated themselves equidistant fore and aft in the rickety craft,
and pushed off.

"I knowed dey was gwine to steal my boat," groaned Cuffy again, as the
skiff receded from the shore.

"Don't say that again!" said Deck, disgusted with the ferryman. "If you
do, I won't give you any boat for the one you lose!"

"I lub dat boat, Mars'r. Berry ole friend ob mine," pleaded Cuffy.

"Say no more about it; perhaps you will get it again, for those men
only wish to get across the river," added Deck in a milder tone. "You
would not take them over, and they intend to ferry themselves across."

"I can't ferry dem ober in de night, when de riber is ragin' like a
roarin' lion seekin' wem he mout devour. No, sar; ef Mars'r looks long
enough, he's see dem men all devoured like as ef de ragin' lion had 'em
in his gills," said Cuffy very impressively, as though he was within
hail of a funeral. "Don't b'lebe dey done been converted."

Two of the troopers had paddles, or something that was a cross between
a paddle and an oar; for the wanderers had seen them in the boat in the
darkness. They forced the skiff out into the current, headed directly
for the opposite shore. They did very well so far; but in a few moments
more the full strength of the stream struck them, and the flimsy craft
was carri