his pursuers diverge in their determination to have him. Finding
himself hard pressed, he dropped his load. It proved to be only a sack,
which, bursting, revealed, not a child, but a quantity of miscellaneous
property!

Enraged as well as disappointed by the discovery, our hero, being
fallible, permitted evil feelings to enter his bosom, and spurred on
with a tighter grasp of the sword under the influence of revenge, but
the savage being now lightened held on with still greater speed,
diverging more and more until, in a short time, he raced almost at right
angles from his companions towards a part of the plain which was
somewhat elevated above the surrounding level.

It was a wise move on his part, for the place, he knew, was riddled with
biscacho-holes. Among these he steered his course with consummate
skill. Of course Lawrence's steed ere long put its foot into a hole and
rolled over, sending its rider headlong to the ground, where he lay on
his back insensible, alike to pity for captives and impulses of revenge.

After lying thus for a considerable time he slowly opened his eyes, and,
looking up, met the solemn gaze of Quashy. His head rested on the knee
of his sable follower.

"What's wrong, Quash?" was his first inquiry.

"Nuffin's wrong, massa, now you talk. I was begin to t'ink your mout'
was shut up for ebber."

"Have they caught the rascals?" asked Lawrence, suddenly recollecting
what had passed, and raising himself on one elbow.

"I not know, massa. Nobody here to tell."

"How--what--where are the troops?"

"Dun know, massa; gone arter de Injins, I s'pose, an' de Injins gone
arter deir own business, an' bof gone off de face ob de art'
altogidder--so far as I can see."

Lawrence started up in great anxiety, and although still giddy from the
effects of his fall, could see plainly enough that neither troops nor
Indians were to be seen--only a mighty sea of waving grass with a clear
horizon all round, and nothing to break the monotony of the vast
solitude save their two horses browsing quietly a few yards off.

"Quashy, it strikes me that we shall be lost," said Lawrence, with
anxious look.

"'Smy opinion, massa, dat we's lost a'ready."

"Come," returned Lawrence, rising with some difficulty, "let's mount and
be off after them. Which way did they go--that is, at what point of the
compass did they disappear?"

Quashy's face assumed the countless wrinkles of perplexity. He turned
north, so