ides of the
opening, scrambled through without help from Nic, as he sat on the roof,
and leaped down.

That was enough; the others followed quickly, and the next minute Pete
was up, seated by Nic's side, the dogs now leaping at them from below,
barking loudly.

"Hurt?" panted Nic.

"Not a bit. Durst us jump down?"

"We must," cried Nic firmly; and, shouting to the dogs, he lowered
himself down, dropped to the ground, and was followed by Pete.

"Hie on, boys! Forward, then!" cried Nic, as the dogs leaped and
bounded around him, and he began to trot away from the river.

"Which way?" said Pete, who was as excited now as his companion.

"Wherever the dogs lead us," replied Nic. "Anywhere away from this
slavery and death. Forward, then, boys! Hie on!"

The dogs ceased barking and began dashing on through the plantation
leading to the nearest wood. The hunt was up, and Nic had rightly
weighed their nature. They were off in chase of something; that was
enough, and the two men followed, feeling that at last they were on the
highroad to freedom, with their most dreaded enemies turned to friends.

"Master Nic," said Pete hoarsely as they trotted on, step for step
following the sound made by the heavy dogs, "I aren't never been a
'ligious sort of a chap, but would it be any harm if, instead o'
kneeling down proper, I was to try and say a prayer as we run?"

"Harm, Pete?" cried Nic, with a wild, hysterical ring in his voice; "it
could not be. Why, I've been praying for help ever since I leaped down
among those savage beasts. I could not have ventured but for that."

Sound travels far during the night, and, though the fugitives were not
aware of it, their attempt to escape was known. For, just when the dogs
were free of the shed and were baying their loudest, the settler, at the
head of his men, turned to Saunders:

"Hear that?" he said hoarsely.

"Yes. They've risked it, and the dogs are running them down. Well,
they have only themselves to thank; I wash my hands of it all."

The settler shuddered, for his companion's words had brought up a
thought that was full of horror; and for a moment he was about to order
his blacks to turn back. But just then the overseer whispered:

"Keep up, sir; not a sound, please. We shall have them now."

"No firing," said the settler quickly; "they will be unarmed."

"I don't know that," said the overseer; "but we shall soon know. Hadn't
we better deal with them as