of river and
tree sweeping away the horrors of the black night.

Pete awoke as if by instinct, and started into a sitting position, to
stare hard at his companion.

"Why, Master Nic, you aren't never gone and let me sleep all night?"

"Indeed, but I have, Pete," replied Nic. "Feel better?"

"No, zir. Never felt so 'shamed of myself in my life. Oh dear! oh
dear! To think of my doing that! Where are we, zir? 'Most got to that
t'other zattlement, aren't uz?"

"What! where we rested for the night, Pete? No; I don't think we are
near that yet."

"Then get nigh we must," cried Pete, putting out his oar. "We've got to
find some braxfuss there. What we had yes'day don't zeem to count a
bit. I zay, though, you don't think they got another boat and passed us
while we were asleep, do you?"

"No, Pete," replied Nic, smiling; "and I don't think that we shall dare
to land at that plantation lower down. The man there would know we are
escaped slaves, and stop us."

"He'd better not," said Pete, with a curious look in his eyes. "He's
the only man there."

"There are several blacks."

"Blacks!" cried Pete contemptuously. "I'm not afraid o' them. It's o'
no use, Master Nic; I've tried hard to bear it, and I can bear a deal,
but when it comes to starvation it's again' my natur'. I must eat, and
if he calls twenty blacks to stop me I mean to have zomething, and zo
shall you. Why, lad, you look as if you're half-dead wi' want o' zleep
and a morsel o' food. Nay, nay; you leave that oar alone, and cover
your head up with those leaves while you have a good rest. By that time
p'raps we may get a bit o' braxfuss."

"I'm not sleepy, Pete," said Nic sadly.

"P'raps not, zir; but man must eat and he must zleep, so you lie back in
the bottom of the boat. Now, no fighting agen it, zir; you worked all
night, zo I must work all day."

"Well, I'll lie down for an hour, Pete, for I do feel very weary. As
soon as you think an hour's gone, you wake me up."

"Right, Master Nic, I will," cried Pete heartily; and after a glance up
and down the river, the young man sank back in the bottom of the boat,
settled the leafy cap and veil in one over his face to shield it from
the sun, and the next minute--to him--he unclosed his eyes to find that
Pete was kneeling beside him with a hand on each shoulder as if he had
been shaking the sleeper.

"Hullo! Yes; all right, Pete, I've had such a sleep. Why, Pete, it
must be getting