on for noon."

"Ay, that it is, my lad; noon to-morrow. But don't bully me, zir; you
was zleeping just lovely, and I couldn't waken you. Here we are at that
farm-place, and I don't zee the man about, but yonder's the two women."

"And the dogs, Pete?"

"Nay, don't zee no dogs. Maybe they're gone along wi' the master. Come
on, lad; I've tied the boat up to this post, and we'll go up and ask the
women yonder to give us a bit o' zomething to eat."

The place looked very familiar as Nic glanced round and recalled the
time when he reached there, and their departure the next morning, with
the looks of sympathy the two women had bestowed.

Just as he recalled this he caught sight of the younger woman, who came
from the door of the roughly-built house, darted back and returned with
her mother, both standing gazing at their visitors as they landed from
the boat.

"Must go up to the house quiet-like, Master Nic, or we shall scare 'em,"
said Pete. "Just you wave your hand a bit to show 'em you know 'em.
Dessay they 'members we."

Nic slowly waved his hand, and then shrugged his shoulders as he glanced
down at his thin cotton rags; and his piteous plight made him ready to
groan.

"We must go up to them as beggars, Pete," he said.

"That's right enough for me, Master Nic; but you're a gentleman, zir,
and they'll know it soon as you begin to speak. Let's go on, zir. I'm
that hungry I could almost eat you."

Nic said nothing, but began to walk on towards the house by his
companion's side, anxiously watching the two women the while, in the
full expectation that they would retreat and shut the door against their
visitors.

But neither stirred, and the fugitives were half-way to the house, when
suddenly there was a growl and a rush.

"Knives, Master Nic," cried Pete, for three great dogs came charging
from the back of the low shed which had given the slaves shelter on
their journey up the river. The dogs had evidently been basking in the
sunshine till they had caught sight of the strangers, and came on baying
furiously.

Nic followed his companion's example and drew his knife, feeling excited
by the coming encounter; but before the dogs reached them the two women
came running from the door, crying out angrily at the fierce beasts,
whose loud barking dropped into angry growls as they obeyed the calls of
their mistresses--the younger woman coming up first, apron in hand, to
beat off the pack and drive them before