o a deep, dark dingle in the very core of the enemy's hill. On
that side, as he remembered, the hill was heavily timbered and
thicketed, thus offering excellent covert for ambush almost to the
summit. With this discovery, or rather reaewakening in his mind of what
he knew already, came a clearer perception of his surroundings, so that
he could now see how, without great risk of discovery, he could gain the
bottom of the valley by availing himself of a shallow gulley which,
furrowing the slope to his left, and fringed with grass and iron-weeds,
ran down to the bank of the river. A similar feature in the ground on
the farther side would favor him in gaining the mouth of the glen. He
now felt that his chances were again coming within the limits of the
possible; and for more than this--so fair did it seem, in contrast with
the apparent hopelessness of the prospect but a few moments before--he
would not ask, to brave the adventure to the crisis, still bristling, as
it was, with neck-or-nothing hazards. Let them but succeed in reaching,
undiscovered, the shelter of yonder glen, and all might yet go well with
Burlman Reynolds and the Fighting Nigger.

Chapter IX.

HOW BIG BLACK BURL FIGURED IN AMBUSH.

Bidding Grumbo follow, our hero once more set his face point-blank to
his adventure. Keeping a sharp eye on the enemy's height, he begun
making his way down the gulley into the valley--screening his movements,
as best he might, where the gulley was too shallow to conceal him, by
walking along in a stooping posture behind the weeds, or creeping along
upon his belly through the grass; Grumbo, with great circumspection,
doing likewise. In a surprisingly short time, considering this somewhat
inconvenient mode of getting over ground, they had made their way to the
hither bank of the river. But here they found themselves once more
brought to a stand. Directly in front, as Burl ascertained by throwing
in a pebble and noting the length of time between its sinking and the
bubble's rising, the stream was almost, if not quite, six feet deep. To
wade across, then go in battle with his garments all soaked and heavy
with water--a serious hinderance, as this must be, to the free and
lightsome play of his limbs--were but to give the nimble foe yet another
advantage over him, desperate being the odds already. To be sure, not
more than a hundred yards below the river was so shallow as to ripple
over the rocks, where he might easily make