f to a sitting posture, and gazed with astonishment at those who
had so singularly proved to be friends, instead of foes.

"Are there any men on your track?" asked Dan, who could not lose sight
of the peril he had incurred by this Samaritan act.

"I speck dar is," replied he. "I hear dem off eber so far, but I don't
see dem."

"Can they chase you on the lake?"

"I speck dey can. Dey'll get a boat and follor de dogs."

"Where are you from?" asked Lily.

"From Major Pembroke's plantation, 'bout ten mile from dese yere parts,
I speck."

"How long since you run away?"

"I luff de place about tree days ago. I stay in de cane-brake till noon
to-day, and git so hungry I could stan it no longer. Den I goes out to
find someting to eat. Den somebody sees me, and dey follow me wid de
dogs. I done kill two of dem dogs, and I kill de rest, but I hear de men
coming, and I run for de lake. I speck, when I git in de water, to frow
de dogs off de scent, but dey git so near dey see and hear me. Dem's
mighty fine nigger dogs, or dey never follor me into de water. I done
gib it all up when I hear dem in de water arter me."

"Did you get any thing to eat when you went out of the cane-brake,"
asked Lily.

"No, missy; I got seen 'fore I find any ting."

"Poor fellow! Then you haven't had any thing to eat for three days?"

"Noting but leabes an de bark ob trees."

"I will give you some supper at once," said Lily, as she hastened to the
cabin.

"Lily!" called Dan. "You mustn't light the lantern, or make a fire."

"Why not?"

"The light would betray us. The slave-hunters will soon be out in their
boat after this man."

"I will not, then."

While Lily was engaged below, Dan provided the runaway with a suit of
his own clothes, which were not much too small for him, as he was a man
of medium stature. He then conducted him to the standing room, for he
was still too weak to walk without support. His supper was brought up,
and he ate cold bacon and potatoes, bread and cheese, till the wondering
Lily thought he would devour their whole stock of provisions, and till
Dan kindly suggested that he would make himself sick if he ate any more.

While he was eating, Dan satisfied his curiosity in regard to the Isabel
and the party on board of her. The runaway, whose name was Quin,--an
abbreviation of Quincy,--listened with astonishment to the story of
these elegant fugitives, who ran away in a yacht, and lived in a style
worthy of a pl