ot forget his duty to the
ladies. He apologized for so rudely disturbing their slumbers, and
thanked them for their interest and sympathy in his undertaking. They
lifted their hats and were away down the road. Madam Hester and her
daughter waved them adieu, watching the riders as far as they could in
the dim light.

As they were passing through the hamlet of Bridgewater Mose saluted his
master by lifting his hand to his wooly head (in the hurry of starting
he had not thought of his hat), and said: "Mas'r LeMonde. I 'spect we
mus' ride like de win' in dis stretch ob de race; fer I had hearn der
is a byroad ten miles furder on which leads inter a mighty wild place
wid many windin' paths; an' ef de tiefs gets dar, dey'll sho' give us
de slip."

David Hester, having traveled this road before, corroborated the
negro's words.

Judge LeMonde replied: "The advice Mose gives is very good, so we must
travel with utmost speed, for we must make every effort to capture the
scoundrels."

With this they all gave rein to their horses and made rapid progress
down the road. The men were so intent on watching the road and guiding
their horses that few words were spoken as they went along.

Those who are acquainted with the river road below Bridgewater will
remember that the knobs come very near to the river and the road runs
close to the foot of the hills. Hence there is not much chance for a
horseman to escape from his pursuers except by outriding them.

Sam Wiles and Zibe Turner had come within three miles of the place of
which Mose had spoken. They were congratulating themselves on their
good fortune, when the quick ears of Turner heard the sounds of horses'
hoofs some distance in the rear. "Pard," he said, "hear dat? Da air on
our track, sure as shootin', an' by de sound I know der is sev'ral on
'em."

"What can we do?" asked Wiles. "De knobs air too steep to climb, for
der ain't no roads about here, an' de ribber is near us on de left. Our
only chance is to reach de forks of de road 'fore dey can overtake us.
But Dolly is purty well played out. Der ain't much go in her. How is
Velox standin' it?"

"My hoss shows his blood an' trainin'," said Turner. "He's all in a
sweat an' lather an' he breathes fast, but I tink he's good for de
distance. You'uns must gib Dolly mo' whip and spur. Better to kill her
dan to be tuk."

Wiles thought the monster dwarf's words sensible, and he drove the
cruel spurs into poor Dolly's sides wit