d the job, without giving himself time to stow the
extra sails, before he saw the boat of the pursuers dashing rapidly
towards the Isabel. The slave-hunters had at last made up their minds
what to do. They meant to risk the encounter.

Just then a sharp flash of lightning illumined the lake, followed by the
muttering thunder. A few fitful flashes of lightning had before glared
on the gloomy scene; but now it gleamed fiercely from the sombre clouds,
and the heavy thunder rolled an almost incessant peal.

"Ready! Ready, now!" said Dan, earnestly, as he sighted his gun at the
trio in the boat, which the lightning plainly revealed to him.

"All ready," replied Quin.

"Now give it to them," said Dan, as he discharged his gun, and grasped
another.

Quin did the same. The pursuers' boat was not more than ten rods from
them, but, from the want of skill in the marksmen, the discharge proved
harmless.

"Put in! Put in!" yelled one of the slave-hunters. "Never mind their
firing. They can't hit nothing."

Dan and Quin fired again.

"I'm hit!" roared one of the enemy, with a horrible oath. "Don't go no
furder."

"Keep her a goin!" replied another. "We'll fix 'em in a minute now."

The boat dashed up towards the Isabel; but Dan, as soon as he had fired,
leaped from his place, and seizing the fifty-six pound weight, plumped
it full into the bottom of the boat. The fugitives heard the pine boards
crash, as the weight broke its way through, and went to the bottom of
the lake.

"Stand by, now!" shouted Dan, as he seized his club, and dealt a heavy
blow upon the head of the slave-hunter who was in the act of leaping on
board the schooner.

"We're sinkin!" cried another of them; and the gunwale of the bateau in
which they sailed was nearly submerged.

[Illustration: THE BATTLE FOR FREEDOM. Page 162.]

They had no time to act upon the aggressive; it was all they could do to
secure their own safety. Just then, the expected squall struck the
Isabel, and though Dan had before cast off all the sheets, she careened
over till the water flowed into the standing room. Her watchful skipper
sprung to the helm, and in an instant she righted partially, and darted
forward like a steed pricked with the spur.

"We are safe!" exclaimed Dan, as Lily rushed from her cabin, startled by
the exciting events which had just transpired.

CHAPTER XV.

THE FATE OF THE SLAVE-HUNTERS.

"Haul down the foresail, Cyd!" shouted Dan, as the