hat's to be
done now, zir?"

"Row, Pete, row; and let's try and forget our hunger in the knowledge
that we are so far free."

"Right, zir; we will. But what about that treacherous hound? Think
he's got a boat?"

"Sure to have," replied Nic.

"Then he'll come after as zoon as he can get help; and if he do--Well, I
should be sorry to hurt him, on account of them as was kind to us; but
if he does ketch it, mind, Master Nic, it's his fault and not mine."

There was no more talking, for both felt morose and weak, their growing
sense of hunger making them more and more silent and disinclined to
speak.

Still, fortune favoured them to a certain extent, for there had been
rain somewhere inland, and the stream ran as if it were in flood higher
up, so that their rate of progress was swift.

As the hours went on and there was no sign of pursuit--no enemies who
had made a short cut to the river-bank waiting to fire at them from
among the trees--the fugitives grew more and more confident; and when at
last they reached another swamp, the alligators appeared to be less
monstrous and the gloomy place lost half its forbidding aspect.

At last, after endless difficulties, and nearly starved, the tidal part
of the river was reached, and, to the delight of both, they found that
they had hit exactly the right moment, for the tide was at its height,
and stood as if waiting to bear them onward towards the sea.

Excitement had kept off all thought of food; but when, after a long
journey, they approached the straggling town at nightfall and saw the
twinkling lights, an intense desire seized upon both to land as soon as
possible and satisfy their needs.

"You see, we lost everything, Master Nic, in that struggle. What you
looking at, zir?"

"You, Pete. I was thinking."

"What about, zir?"

"About this place. If we land we must go to some house for food; and
when we two half-naked, miserable, starved wretches have obtained what
we want we shall be asked to pay."

"My word!" gasped Pete, ceasing to row. "I never thought of that. And
we aren't got any money."

"Not a coin."

"And they'd want it here just the same as they would at home, though it
is a foreign country?"

"Of course."

"Then I tell you what, Master Nic," said Pete after a long pause; "we
must go straight to zomebody and tell 'em how we've been zarved, and ask
him to help us."

"We should have to tell them everything, Pete."

"Of course, zir; downrig