tent till they had driven his companions from
their covert, and shed their blood or again reduced them to slavery.

Lily was disposed to abandon all her hopes in despair, and Cyd trembled
with fear as he thought of what the next day or the next week might
bring forth. But the energy and firmness of Dan soon quieted their
fears, and restored, in some measure, the confidence which had before
prevailed in the camp.

"We have defeated the slave-hunters twice, and we can do it again," said
he, as he rose from his seat at the cabin table, around which, as Dan
ate his supper, the party had considered their sad and perilous
condition.

"It's terrible to think of poor Quin," said Lily. "He was so good and
kind."

"And we have one arm less to assist in our defence. Don't cry any more,
Lily. I'm afraid we haven't seen the worst of it yet."

"Can't we do something? Can't we get away from this place?" asked Lily.

"That is impossible. The water is too low to float the Isabel down to
the lake, even if she were ready to go. It will take several days to rig
her, and put her in order for our voyage."

"What will become of us?"

"I don't know. I hope for the best. Don't cry, Lily. I am not afraid of
any thing. If we are resolute, we can defend ourselves if the
slave-hunters should find us, which I don't think they can."

"It's awful to think of fighting and being shot," murmured Lily, as she
cast a tender glance at Dan.

"I thought of all these things before we started, and I will not shrink
from them now. But come, Cyd; we must go to work and unload the bateau."

The stores, which had been procured at such a terrible sacrifice, were
taken on board the Isabel, while the body of poor Quin was laid upon the
trunk cabin, and covered up with a blanket. As they lifted the lifeless
form from the bateau, Dan could not but recall the extravagant joy of
the deceased when the stores were safely embarked. The scene which
followed was a sad commentary on the hopes which the honest fellow had
cherished only a few hours before.

It was necessary that the corpse should be buried that night, for the
weather was warm, and none knew what were to be the events of the coming
day. A suitable spot was selected on one of the adjacent islands, where
Cyd and Dan dug a shallow grave. The remains of poor Quin, wrapped in
the blanket, were then conveyed in the bateau to the spot, and deposited
in their final resting-place. By the dim light of the lant