m get away before giving notice to the sentry, that they might be
caught, ironed, and flogged, or perhaps meet their death in the
struggle.

But Nic had yet to find that Humpy Dee's designs were deeper than this.

The walk back was not long enough for a hundredth part of the bitter
thoughts that crowded into Nic Revel's brain; neither would they have
got a hearing had the distance been a thousand times the length, on
account of the one dominant horror which filled his brain: "Will they
flog us?--will they flog us?" That question was always repeating
itself, and, when the prisoner heard Pete utter a low groan, he was
convinced that the poor fellow was possessed by similar thoughts.

Only so short a time before that they had left their quarters, and now
they were back in the darkness, their plans crushed, and only the
punishment to look forward to.

"Now, Sam, be sharp with a couple of lanthorns and those irons," cried
the overseer.

"Iss, sah."

"Prisoners been quiet?" whispered the settler to the sentry.

"Iss, sah, berry quiet; all fass asleep;" and the man let his musket
fall down upon the ground with an ominous thud as, in obedience to an
order, he unlocked the shed-door and lowered the huge bar before drawing
it open.

"Now then," muttered the overseer, "how long is he going to be with that
lanthorn? Here, in with them, boys; but don't loose your hold till I
tell you."

Nic and Pete were hurried on; and, as soon as they were inside, the
settler and his lieutenant stood in the doorway, pistol in hand, while
Nic's face was involuntarily turned in the direction of the corner where
Humpy Dee's bunk lay, in the full expectation of hearing some bantering
sneer.

But the man made no sign, and directly after the _pad_, _pad_ of
Samson's feet was heard, and a faint light threw up the figures of those
at the doorway. Then Samson's big black face appeared, lit up by the
lanthorns he swung, one in each hand.

"I take in de light, sah, and den go fetch de irons?"

"Yes; look sharp," cried Saunders.

He made way for the black to pass, and the man raised one of the
lanthorns to hang it upon a hook. He did not do this, but raised the
other lanthorn and hurriedly took a few steps in the direction of the
bunks, to begin shouting directly:

"Hyah!" he cried, "whar dem oder white fellow? You, Zerk, what you go
and done wid de oder man?"

"What!" roared the settler and the overseer in a breath as they rushed
fo