eamanship
was very limited.

"You know the shape of the letter A?"

"I do."

"Well, that boat has been running up one leg of the A, and I have been
running up the other; so, you see, we must be coming nearer together. I
had to run this way in order to use the wind to the best advantage."

"But you will come together in this way in a few moments."

"No; we are as near now as we can be, unless that boat sails faster than
we do. I shall continue to sail in a straight line, but I shall get
ahead of the other if she does not change her course. She cannot cut me
out now, at any rate."

Probably Lily was willing to talk of this subject to banish more painful
thoughts from her mind, though it is not likely that she clearly
comprehended the tactics of the skipper of the Isabel.

"Don't you think I had better call Cyd and Quin?" asked she, after she
had again glanced at the position of the pursuing boat.

"No, let them sleep. We will not call them till it is necessary to do
so," replied Dan.

"Do you think we can escape them?" asked she, anxiously.

"I cannot tell, Lily. I hope so. It depends entirely upon the wind. If
the breeze should die out, of course we could make no progress at all."

"Do you think the wind will die out?" said she, nervously.

"I can't tell, Lily. I hope not, I pray not."

"Suppose it should die out, Dan?" added she, moving up nearer to the
skipper.

"If we lose the wind there is nothing to prevent the boat from
overtaking us at once."

"O, dear!" shuddered Lily, moving up still nearer to him who was her
only earthly protector.

"Why do you tremble so, Lily?" asked Dan, as he took her hand and
pressed it in his own, perhaps thinking that he might thus impart to her
some of his own steadiness.

"Because I am so terribly frightened," replied she, with quivering lips.
"I would rather die than be taken; and I have been thinking that I would
throw myself into the lake if the boat catches us."

"You shall not be taken, Lily," said Dan, his lips compressed, and his
teeth tightly closed, evincing the determination with which he had
resolved to meet the slave-hunters, if they attempted to lay their
polluting hands upon the gentle girl by his side.

"What can you do against such men as those?"

"I can fight, Lily; I would do so to save myself, but more to save you."

"O Heaven! If I should be taken! What would become of me?"

"No, no, Lily: don't take on so," said Dan, as he passed his arm