m quite strong."

"That is well. Carl, take the light and go with her."

"And vat shall you do?"

"I will stay and watch the movements of the soldiers."

"Wery goot. But I have vun little obshection."

"What is it?"

"You know the vay petter, and you vill take her safer as I can. But my
eyes is wery wigorous, and I vill engage to vatch the cusses myself."

"Thou art right, my Carl!" said Penn, who indeed felt that it was for
him, and for no other, to convey Virginia back to her father and safety.

He crept upon the rocks, and took a last observation of the cliffs. Not
a soldier was in sight. But that fact did not delight him much.

"They fear a possible shot or two. No doubt they are making
preparations, and when all is ready they will descend. I only hope they
will delay long enough! Farewell, Carl!"

"Goot pie, Penn! Goot pie, Wirginie!" cried Carl, with stout heart and
cheery voice. And as he saw them depart,--Penn's arm supporting
her,--listened for the last murmur of their voices, and watched for the
last glimmer of the torch as it was swallowed by the darkness, and he
was left alone, he continued to smile grimly; but his eyes were dim.

"They are wery happy together! And I susphect the time vill come ven he
vill marry her; and then they vill neither of 'em care much for me.
Veil, I shall love 'em, and wish 'em happy all the same!"

With which thought he smiled still more resolutely than before, and
squeezed the tears from his eyes very tenderly, in order, probably, to
keep those useful organs as "wigorous" as possible for the work before
him.

* * * * *

Handcuffed and securely bound to the rock, that modern Prometheus,
Captain Lysander Sprowl, like his mythical prototype, felt the vulture's
beak in his vitals. Chagrin devoured his liver. An overflow of southern
bile was the result, and he turned yellow to the whites of his eyes.

Old Toby noticed the phenomenon. Poor old Toby, with that foolish head
and large tropical heart of his, knew no better than to feel a movement
of compassion.

"Kin uh do any ting fur ye, sar?"

The unfeigned sympathy of the question gave the wily Prometheus his cue.
He uttered a feeble moan, and studied to look as much sicker than he was
as possible.

Pity at the sight made the old negro forget much which a white man would
have been apt to remember--the disgrace this wretch had brought upon
"the family;" and the recent cruel whipping,