my father. "Where are they?"

"Not far off, and if some of you will come with me, we will send them
about their business, with a warning that, should they again attempt to
play such a trick, they will not escape so easily," observed the
Dominie.

Martin Prentis, I, and two of the men, at once set off with Mr Tidey.
We first made our way to the canoe, where we found our prisoner groaning
with pain, for, by endeavouring to release himself, he had only
tightened the cords with which his arms and legs were lashed. We took
him out of the canoe, and from the expression of abject terror exhibited
in his countenance, I suspected that the fellow believed he was then and
there to undergo the penalty of `Lynch law,' for he looked up at the
bough of a tree above his head, as if he expected immediately to be
triced up to it. I never saw a man so crestfallen.

"Now, my fine fellow, you know what you deserve," said the Dominie, as
Martin and the other men placed him on his feet. "You were employed by
a greater rogue than yourself; but as you have failed in your
undertaking, we do not want to be hard on you, and if you will tell us
the intentions of your master, we will set you at liberty. But, if
not--," and Mr Tidey pointed to the bough overhead.

"I'll give you all the information you require," exclaimed the man,
trembling. "Bracher had sworn to be revenged on you for sheltering his
runaway slave, and was determined to get hold of him if he could. He
had heard that you were located in this neighbourhood, and he sent a
party with orders to capture the black at all costs."

"That doesn't excuse them for carrying off the young ladies, and
frightening us well-nigh out of our wits, on their account."

"I had no hand in that matter," said our prisoner. "I suppose that by
getting hold of them our people thought that they could force you to
come to terms about the nigger."

"Probably," observed Mr Tidey; "but what were your orders, should you
fail to recover the black? Remember, we have your Indian guide in our
hands, and if you do not speak the truth, we shall be able to learn what
we want from him."

"I will tell you everything," answered the man, as the Dominie again
glanced up at the overhanging bough. "Silas Bracher has come to grief,
and being compelled to sell up, is moving westward with a pretty
good-sized party whom he has persuaded to accompany him. We heard on
our way that Captain Loraine was located in the ne