; when
there was a fresh demonstration of joy, and Tom threw out their rough
lines and nets on to the grass.

"They may as well help us load, Mas'r Harry, mayn't they?" said Tom--a
proposition I at once agreed to.

In a very short space of time the gold was all placed in one canoe while
we tethered the other by a short rope to the raft: this boat contained
the provisions and ammunition, and in this Tom and I were to go, towing
the gold canoe and the raft, upon which more convenient place my uncle,
armed and watchful while we paddled, was to sit with Lilla and my aunt.

It was nearly dark when our arrangements were at an end; and thankful
that, so far, we had been uninterrupted, I drew the raft close in,
secured it to our canoe, and Tom took his place, paddle in hand. My
uncle made a couple of good easy seats for Lilla and my aunt, and then
took his place beside them; and now nothing was wanted but for me to
take a paddle beside Tom, when he exclaimed:

"This here stuff makes the canoe all hang to the starn, Mas'r Harry.
Tell you what, I'll go in that canoe for the present, and get the
freight shifted, and then join you again."

I nodded acquiescence, and then turned to the poor miserable creatures
whom we seemed to be robbing, and who now stood, dejected of aspect,
watching us.

"What shall I give them?" I thought. "A gun--a knife or two? Pish!
how absurd! Here--here!" I exclaimed, catching the two nearest savages
by the hand and hastily drawing them into the brake, when the others
followed. "One apiece for you, my good fellows, and you gain by the
exchange."

They could not understand my word; but as I pointed to the animals
tethered in the gloom, and then placed the bridle of a mule in each of
the four men's hands, their joy seemed unbounded, and, with a nod and a
smile, I was turning to depart, eager to continue our flight, when a
wild cry from the raft seemed to fix me to the spot.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

IN THE DARK.

The cry was repeated twice before I could make a dash through the thick
swampy growth towards the bank.

"Quick--quick, Harry! They are here!"

"Mas'r Harry!" cried Tom in a piteous voice.

The next moment I was on the trampled bank a little below where we had
landed, to see in a moment that the little raft was being pushed off;
for in cat-like silence our enemies had approached us, and I bitterly
repented that I had not joined Tom, instead of wasting time over the
fishers