ay, in an excited whisper.
"Are you locked up?"

"I reckon," replied Xury. "We wouldn't stay here if we wasn't, would
we?"

"O, now, yes, we're locked up," drawled Tom, who, delighted as he was at
seeing the chief, could not forget his lazy way of talking. "But you are
going to let us out, are you not?"

"Sartin. That's what we come here fur, an' we'll do it if we have to
burn the shantee."

"You needn't go to all that trouble, governor," said Xury. "Do you see
that door around there on the other side of the house?"

Sam walked around the building, and when he came back, he said that he
had seen the door.

"Well," continued Xury, "all you have got to do is to raise a rumpus out
there, an' awaken the people up stairs."

"Humph!" sneered Sam.

"Hold on till I get through, governor. Of course, when they hear you,
they'll come out an' foller you; an' when the men have all left the
house, one of you can slip back an' cut down that door an' let us out.
Here's an ax to do it with," he added, passing the implement through the
window to the chief.

"That's a good idea, after all," said Sam.

"Friday, you take the ax, an' I'll do the runnin'. I'll lead the fellers
toward the beach, an' you stay here an' watch your chance to beat down
that door. How many folks are there in the house, Xury?"

"Ten altogether--six men an' boys, an' four women," was the reply. "I
know, 'cause I counted 'em."

"Of course, the women will stay in the house," continued the governor,
addressing himself to Friday; "an' when they hear you cuttin' at the
door, they'll be sartin to come out an' holler at you; but that needn't
scare you. Now, then, how shall we awaken the folks?"

The chief had scarcely propounded this question, when it was answered in
way he had not expected. A window above him was thrown open, a head
appeared, and a voice called out, "Well, I swan!"

The governor and his man did not wait to hear what the farmer had to say
next. The enemy were aroused, and an opportunity was given them to try
the plan Xury had suggested. Friday, who well understood the part he was
expected to perform, sprang around the house out of sight; while Sam
started across the field toward the beach.

"Stop there, you young rascal!" shouted the man in the window. "Josh!
Bill! Wake up, an' get out there! Those robbers have come back again!"

The window came down with a crush, and Friday, who had by this time
concealed himself behind a corn-crib, a s