corners of his eyes, as though trying to guess what the
"young massa" was planning to do about disposing of his case.

CHAPTER XII

THE SHERIFF AND HIS "DAWGS"

"Do you see that package, Pete?" asked Phil, after he had talked with
Larry for a few minutes, and pointing at a bundle the latter had made
up.

"Yas, sah, I does."

"Well, I'm not going to tell you to take it; but after you're gone, I
expect to find it missing. Do you think you understand?" asked the
boy, grinning.

Pete looked puzzled, and scratched his woolly head.

"Yuh 'pears tuh not want me tuh take hit; and den ag'in yuh 'spects me
to kerry hit off when I'se gwine away! Yas, sah, I sees what yuh
means," he answered; though the blank look on his dusky face belied his
assurance.

"You see," Phil continued, soberly; "if the sheriff should happen to
come along we would tell him somebody had taken a package of food from
the boat during the night. Understand? His dogs would be apt to pick
up your trail here, anyhow; and that might be a give-away."

"Oh! yas, sah, I gits on now," said the late prisoner eagerly. "An' it
sure is a good thing foh me as how I runs acrost yuh gemmons dis same
night. On'y foh dat I done drap in de swamps. I takes de grub, but I
don't let you-uns knows hit."

"And when you start off, circle around and make for the south," Phil
went on. "Perhaps, now, you may have heard of the McGees, who make
shingles down below? Well, this boy is Tony McGee. If you're lucky
enough to get to their settlement, which is on the river, he'll help
you further. Here's a little money for you, Pete. I'm giving it to
you just because you say you're going to turn over a new leaf if you
get safe to Mobile. And perhaps some time I'll look you up, or write
to your brother; because we're interested in that family of yours.
What's his name, Pete?"

"Oscar Smith, in keer ob Mistah Underhill, sah. An' I suah is mighty
much 'bliged tuh yuh foh dis. I's gwine tuh do what yuh tells me;
dough I war a tryin' tuh git away by keepin' tuh de west."

"Well, you'll have a better chance by going down river, and I'll tell
you why, Pete;" after which Phil explained how the sheriff of this
county in Northern Florida had reason to shun the neighborhood where
the fierce McGees held forth.

"If I knowed dat afore, massa," said the negro, earnestly, "I done be
down dar by now, an' alarfin' fit to die at dat sheriff. But I make a
circle 'round righ