ordinary impediments to hinder us.

"Take care that fellow doesn't play us a trick," observed Captain
Norton.

"I feel pretty sure he is trustworthy. He merely feels in good spirits
at riding, instead of having to use his legs," I replied.

We were obliged to stop to water the horses at a pool we had come to,
for fear that there would be no water farther on. Soon after this we
reached the borders of a wood, when, darkness coming on, we were
compelled to halt for the night. We kept a double watch, two of us
guarding the horses, while the other two slept. We allowed Pompey to
sleep the whole time, as he required rest, and we thought it as well not
to put implicit trust in him.

Next day our progress was slower, as we were unwilling to tire our
horses, in the belief that they would be required before long to gallop
as fast as their legs could carry them; besides which, the country was
much more difficult to traverse than on the previous part of the
journey, there being swamps, and woods, and sandy tracts, besides
occasionally large pools, in our course. Pompey, who evidently knew the
country well, assured us that we should reach Rochford's hiding-place by
dark. Trusting to his assertion that there were no Indians in the
neighbourhood, we ventured to dismount near a pool to kill a sufficient
number of ducks to serve us for food. We had brought a supply of
crackers with us, and a few other articles, so that we were not badly
off. We had, however, once more to camp.

"Why, Pompey," I said, when we had unsaddled our horses, "I thought that
we should have seen Mr. Rochford before this."

"Yee, massa; he no far off, dough," he answered. "Me think you better
stop here, while Pompey go on an' tell him dat you come."

"Well, then, the sooner you let him know the better, as he will not wish
to lose time," I replied.

I told Captain Norton what the black had said. "Let him go at once, but
it will be as well for one of us to follow him and see what he is
about," he said. "I am not quite satisfied with his manner; and yet I
daresay he is honest enough."

Captain Norton did not object to my proposal to follow the black. As
soon as he set off, I started close behind him, but at such a distance
that he did not hear my footsteps. After making my way through the
forest--not without considerable fear of losing him--I saw a bright
light some way ahead, which I knew must proceed from a fire, and
observed he was direct