his feet, scowling.

"Clumsy brute," he said, "causing all this trouble and hindrance.
Nearly drowned two men. There, two of you take him by his head and
heels and drop him in."

"Tie big 'tone to um head first, massa?"

"What!" roared the overseer, so sharply that the black jumped to his
feet. "What do you mean?"

"Make um go to de bottom, sah, and neber come up no more."

"Bah! you grinning black idiot. Didn't you tell me he was alive?"

"Yes, sah; quite 'livo, sah."

"Drop him in the boat, then, and hurry about it, or we shan't get up to
the farm before the tide turns. There, four of you take him; and you
below there, ease him down. Don't let him go overboard again, if you
want to keep whole skins."

The men seized the heavy figure by the hands and legs, and bearing it
quite to the edge, lowered it down to the others, room being made at the
bottom of the boat, where it was deposited with about as much ceremony
as a sack of corn. Then, in obedience to another order, the blacks
descended, and the overseer stepped down last, to seat himself with his
back to the dogs; while the smith and his assistant once more took up
their guns and their places as guards. Then the boat was pushed off.
Four of the blacks seized the oars, the boat's head swung round, and the
next minute, with but little effort, she was gliding rapidly up the
muddy stream.

It was dangerous work to begin talking, but as Nic sat there in silence,
with his head growing clearer, and gazing compassionately at the
prostrate figure, two of the prisoners put their heads together and
began to whisper.

"Close shave for old Humpy," said one. "Think he'll come round again?"

"Dunno; but if he does, I'm not going to help in any more games about
going off. This job has made me sick."

"He won't want you to; this must have pretty well sickened him if he
comes to."

"Mind what you're saying. That there black image is trying to hear
every word."

"He can't understand. But I say, the gaffer didn't know how it
happened, after all. Thought it was an accident."

"So it was," said the other man, with a grim smile, "for old Humpy.
Here, Pete, old man, how are you now?"

Pete looked at the speaker in wonder, then nodded, and said quietly:

"Bit stiff and achey about the back of the neck."

"Mind shaking hands, mate?" said the man in a faint whisper.

"What for?" said Pete sourly.

"'Cause I like what you did, mate. It was acting like a m