to give you a long credit.'

We at once agreed to his own terms, and I signed a bond for one hundred
dollars, for a pair of coarse canvas trousers, a jacket of the same, two
check shirts, and a good straw hat. My heart misgave me when I saw his
peculiar smile, as he placed my bond in his pocket-book. Pleased as I
was with my finery, I feared I had done wrong, but did not know to what
extent until next morning, when we joined the convicts at labour. As
soon as they saw us in our new dresses, they burst out into a loud
laugh.

'Oh!' said they, 'has the old villain limed his birds already? Poor
greenhorns, you have sold yourselves for years to come. How are you to
redeem the debts you have incurred, and others you must yet incur, but
by new engagements? He has you in his toils.' And they again laughed
aloud.

We resumed our labour with heavy hearts; despondency came upon us, and
we began to droop and pine. At night, when we retired to rest, and,
until overpowered by fatigue and sleep, we talked of nothing but plans
of escape. Numbers were formed and abandoned; to fly to the forests, we
must perish through hunger and fatigue, or wander on, unknowing where to
go; in the direction of the coast, was still more impracticable, for all
the planters were in league with each other, to prevent the escape of
the convicts and palantines, and no one could travel unmolested, without
a certificate of his freedom. Our situation appeared to us truly without
remeid, and bitterly did we lament our cruel fate.

Fortunately for us, we had--more to have something to keep a lingering
hope of escape awake, than with any prospect of success--for several
Sundays employed ourselves in undermining a part of the clay floor under
the dried grass upon which we slept. The hole passed under the logs; and
we had ascertained that it would be opened behind a wild vine that
spread its luxuriance over a great part of the side and roof of our
prison. We did not open it at the outside, but contented ourselves by
pushing a thin piece of a branch through, lest we had been discovered by
the lynx eyes of our master and his sons. For weeks, things had remained
in this state, we resolving to run for it, and again our hearts failing
us, when one night we were aroused out of our sleep by fearful cries,
mixed with the firing of rifles. It was the war-whoop of the Indians,
who had come down on a plundering expedition, and to avenge some old
aggression our master had p