on our account."

"Oh, father won't hurt me," said the girl; "and he shan't hurt mother.
Serve him right for being so cruel. You never did him any harm."

"Oh, run, run!" cried the woman, with her fingers still in her ears; and
the two young men dashed off to the boat and leapt in, Nic's next
action, as Pete unfastened the slight cord, being to fling the gun as
far out into the river as he could.

"Oh!" cried Pete, "what did you do that for?" as the gun fell with a
splash and disappeared.

"I was not going to steal the scoundrel's gun," said Nic, seizing an
oar.

"Well, it wouldn't ha' been any use without powder and zhot," said Pete
as he thrust the boat out into the stream. "Good-bye to you both," he
shouted, waving his hand to the two women, who stood waving their
aprons.

"But it seems cowardly, Pete, to go and leave them in the lurch."

"Ay, it do, Master Nic; but it only means a rowing for them, and it's
life and liberty for us."

There was another wave of a white apron as the boat glided out into
mid-stream, and Nic responded with his hand. Then trees interposed and
hid the house and sheds from view, and the fugitives went on straining
at their oars till they felt that their safety was assured, when they
relaxed their efforts.

"That was close, Master Nic," said Pete. "Treacherous martal. Wish I'd
give him a good topper before we zhut the door."

"I'm glad you did not, for his wife and daughter's sake," replied Nic.
"Poor things! they will suffer for their gentle, womanly compassion
towards a pair of poor escaped slaves."

"Ay, it was good of 'em, Master Nic. Zees how hungry we were, and
fetches that fresh brown loaf, and all that pink-and-white bacon as
looks d'licious. Zo, as we're going gently on, and not likely for him
to take boat after us, what do you say to staying all that horrid
gnawing of our insides with a good bite and sup? But--I say, Master
Nic, what did you do with that bacon and bread?"

Nic looked sharply up at Pete, and the latter uttered a dismal groan.
The bread and bacon had gone, neither knew where, in the struggle, and
the landing and encounter had all been for nothing.

"Not quite," Nic said later on. They had learned how much gentle
compassion existed for the poor white slaves, even in a district where
the sight of them was so common.

"P'raps so, Master Nic; but I'd give all the compassion in the world
just now for a zlice of that bacon and a hunk of bread. W