ent
tone to that in which I had ever before addressed my captain. The truth
was, I felt and acted almost as if I were tipsy.

The captain looked at me somewhat sternly. "Be more serious, Jack," he
answered; "we should be thankful to Heaven that we are not as those
unhappy men are. We have both been mercifully preserved. Restrain your
feelings, lad; you'll have much to go through before you are out of the
fire."

I do not remember much more about the feast. The negroes ate, and
drank, and laughed, and then got up and danced and sang as merrily as if
they had not just been the principal actors in a terrific tragedy.
Before the feast was over, our old acquaintance the tall negro came up
to the captain, and sat himself down by his side.

"Prepare to leave this at a moment's notice," said he in a low tone of
voice. "These people's tempers may change again as rapidly against you
as they have lately turned in your favour. They believed what I told
them of your generosity; but as there is no one here to corroborate the
account, they might as easily be taught to discredit it."

"Thanks, my friend," answered the captain, grasping the negro's hand.
"Thanks, Michael; you have indeed repaid any debt you might have thought
you owed me. I'll follow your advice, and shall be ready to start
whenever you give the sign."

"Directly it is dark, then, we must away, you and your young follower
there," answered the tall negro, whom the captain addressed as Michael.
"I have another reason for wishing to be off. This work they have been
about will certainly bring the military up here; and though they might
hold the place against an army if they knew how, none of them can be
depended on. Now, if you remain here, our friends would expect you to
fight for them; and if you were captured by the white men, you would to
a certainty be treated as a rebel."

"Your arguments are quite strong enough, Michael, to make me wish to be
off," answered the captain, laughing. I did not hear the remainder of
the conversation.

The young negroes who had carried me about on their shoulders continued
to treat me very kindly, and brought me all sorts of things to eat, till
really I could not stuff in a mouthful more. They were much amused by
examining my hands, and face, and clothes, for many of them till that
day had never seen a white boy. They had been born up in the
mountainous district, where we then were, and where no white person had
ever