whispered--

"Is you bery bad, massa?"

Lawrence turned his head with great difficulty and beheld his faithful
follower lying like himself on the ground, firmly bound to a stout spar
or pole. His own inability to move was at once explained, for he soon
perceived that he was in the same bound condition.

"D'you know what has happened, Quashy?"

"Ho yes, massa. De reptiles has took de place, an' tied you an' me to
sticks. What for I don' know, but I s'pose dey means to skin us alive,
or roast us, p'r'aps, to 'muse deir women an' child'n."

"More likely that they hope to have us ransomed," returned Lawrence,
with a shudder.

"What's ramsumd, massa?"

"Try to get our friends to give them money for us. Have they killed
many of the men--or got hold of the women and children?" asked Lawrence,
anxiously.

"Yes, dey's kill a few ob de men, but not many, for some hab got into de
huts, an' some into de corral, an' dey'll fight to de last. De savages
am holdin' a palaver jist now--see, dey's agwine to begin again. Screw
your head roun' to de right an' you see."

Lawrence obeyed, and saw the savages assembled on a knoll. After
driving the defenders into the huts, they had held a brief consultation,
and seemed on the eve of renewing the attack. Filled with deep anxiety
for the fate of the poor women and children, our hero made a desperate
struggle to snap his bonds.

"No use, massa," remarked Quashy. "I's tried dat till I nearly bu'sted.
Better lie still. P'r'aps dey forgit us."

Lawrence groaned. He felt so helpless, and consequently hopeless, that
he almost gave way to despair.

The spot where they had been flung down after their capture was so
covered with rank grass that they could not see far in any direction.
What they did see, however, aroused curiosity, if it did not inspire
hope, for the savages seemed suddenly to have changed their plans. They
were talking excitedly together on the knoll, and pointing eagerly
towards the horizon.

"Das funny, massa," remarked the negro.

"It is indeed. Perhaps they see some of their friends coming."

"Or inimies," suggested Quashy.

The latter was right. In a few minutes the Indians were seen to run
down to the defences of the place. Our unfortunates lost sight of them
in a few seconds, but they could hear the sound of horsemen approaching
at full gallop. In a few minutes they heard shouting; then the yells,
fearful cries, and imprecations of men in mor