feeble man, and had meant to break the good news to him softly. But
human nature was too strong; his own emotions had baffled him, and the
pious little artifice proved a complete failure. So now he could do
nothing but stand by and make grim faces, struggling to keep down what
was mastering him, and turning away blindly from the bed.

Even Cudjo appeared deeply affected, staring stupidly, and winking
something like a tear from the whites of his eyes at sight of the father
embracing his child, and the white locks mingling with the wet, tangled
curls on her cheek. He was a ludicrous, pathetic object, winking and
staring thus; and Penn laughed and cried too, at sight of him.

"Luk dar!" said Cudjo, coming up to him, and pointing at the little
walled chamber that served as his pantry. "She hab dat fur her dressum
room. Sleep dar, too, if she likes."

"Thank you, Cudjo! it will be very acceptable, I am sure."

"Me clar it up fur her all scrumptious!" added the negro, with a grin.

Penn had thought of that. But now he had other business on his hands: he
must hasten to find Pepperill: nor could he keep anxious thoughts of
Stackridge and his friends out of his mind. And Pomp--where all this
time was Pomp? He had hoped to find him and the patriots all safely
arrived in the cave.

Virginia was seated on the bed by her father's side. Penn threw a
blanket over the dear young shoulders, to shield her from the sudden
cold of the cave; then left her relating her adventures,--beckoning to
Cudjo, who followed him out.

"Cudjo!"--the black glided to his side as they emerged from the
ravine,--"you must go and find Pomp."

Cudjo laughed and shrugged.

"No use't! Reckon Pomp take keer o' hisself heap better'n we's take keer
on him!"

True. Pomp knew the woods. He was athletic, cautious, brave. But he had
gone to extricate from peril others, in whose fate he himself might
become involved. Cudjo refused to take this view of the matter; and it
was evident that, while he comforted himself with his deep convictions
of Pomp's ability to look out for his own safety, he was, to say the
least, quite indifferent as to the welfare of the patriots.

Forgetting Dan and the unknown horseman in his great solicitude for his
absent friends, Penn climbed the ledges, and gazed away in the direction
of the camp, and beheld the forest there a raging gulf of fire.

Assuredly, they must have fled from it before this time; but whither had
they gone?