it all
up den."

"Don't give up yet, Cyd," laughed Dan.

"Mossifus! If dis nigger see ole massa, he done sink into de ground,
like a catfish in de mud."

"You haven't seen him yet, Cyd; and what is more, I don't believe you
will see him."

"I hope not," added Lily, with a shudder.

"If we do, it will not alter any thing."

"What would you do, Dan?"

"I will never become a slave again. We have guns and powder, bullets and
shot."

"Would you kill him?"

"No man shall stand between me and freedom. I would shoot him or any
other man, if it were necessary to secure our safety."

"Gossifus! Shoot Massa Raybone!" exclaimed Cyd.

"I hope we shall not be obliged to fire upon any man; but I shall do so,
and you must do the same, Cyd, if we are in danger of being captured."

"Do any ting you say, Dan," replied Cyd whose mind readily settled upon
any policy adopted by his leader.

"Now, Lily, you had better turn in, as Midshipman Raybone used to say.
You must sleep while you can, for you may have no rest again for several
days."

"I'm not sleepy; but you are going to have a very hard time. When we get
out to sea we shall have to run all the time--shall we not?"

"Yes--night and day."

"Then when will you sleep?"

"Cyd and I must sleep by turns. We shall get along very well if the
weather is only good."

About eleven o'clock both Lily and Cyd retired to their berths, leaving
Dan alone on deck. The wind held fair till about three o'clock in the
morning, at which time the Isabel was within ten miles of the outlet of
the lake. It was too dark for the careful skipper to discover the nature
of the shore, and he was waiting for a little daylight to enable him to
find a suitable place to lie up during the next day. The boat was fully
three miles from either shore, when the wind suddenly died out. Directly
ahead, there were several small islands, but they were farther off than
the main shore.

The first of the skipper's trials seemed to have overtaken him; but he
did not permit himself to despair. He hoped, when the sun rose, a breeze
would come, and enable him to find some hiding-place for the day. There
was nothing to do but watch and wait, and Dan reclined upon the
cushioned seat to meditate upon the uncertainties before them.

There was not a breath of air upon the lake, and the sails hung
motionless in their places. Lily and Cyd still slept, and Dan did not
call them; for he was willing to spare them even an