each other as they came on through the forest;
and in the hope that perhaps after all we had got the start, and would
reach home in time to give the alarm, I tugged at my oar again, and so
long as I rowed Pomp never for a moment flagged.

But I could not keep his tongue quiet. Now he would be making
derisively defiant remarks about the 'gators; then he had something
disparaging to say about the Indians; and when I spoke to him angrily he
would be quiet for a time, but only to burst out with reproaches at me
for calling him a "'tupid lil nigger."

Nothing ever hurt Pomp's feelings more than that term, which seemed to
him the very extreme of reviling, and always went straight to his heart.

It was getting toward evening, and a rich orange glow was beginning to
glorify the long reach of the river down which we were rowing--
sluggishly now, for we were both tired out--when it struck me that I had
not heard the cry for some time now, and I made the remark to Pomp.

"No; fock gone asleep now till de moon get up. Den fock get up too, an'
holler."

"No, Pomp," I said, "it's the Indians, and they are silent because they
are getting near the house now."

"So Pomp get near de house, and don't care for de Injum. He so dreffle
hungry."

So was I; but my intense anxiety drove away all that, and I tried to tug
harder at the oar, for I knew that we were near home now; familiar trees
and corners of the stream kept coming into view, and I was just thinking
that very soon I should be able to look behind me and see our
landing-place, when a faintly-heard hail came along the river.

We both turned sharply, and Pomp exclaimed in words what I only too
gratefully saw--

"Dah de capen an Mass' Morgan in 'noder boat. Wha my fader too?"

I stood up for a moment and waved my hand, and then sat down, and we
both pulled our best, after Pomp had grumbled a little, and wanted to
let the boat float down alone.

A few minutes later I was holding on to the gunwale of the strange boat
in which my father was seated, almost too much exhausted to speak.

"I was getting uneasy about you, my boy," my father said, "for there
have been some fresh rumours at the settlement about Indians, and Morgan
went round and borrowed this boat; we were coming on to see after you.
Why, George, is anything the matter?"

"Yes, father," I panted. "The Indians--they are coming on."

"No," said Pomp sharply, and he struck his hand on the side of the boat
to