we needed in the way of food and assistance. By a
little manoeuvring the darkeys were intercepted at a suitable spot,
and I found them to be very intelligent men, who were only too glad to
help us all they could. They were slaves on a plantation located on the
banks of the Red River, of which the field was a portion, and they were
on their way to the outbuildings, near at hand, for some tools. They
left me, to get the articles needed in the field, and soon returned,
bringing with them a liberal portion of their day's allowance of food,
which they gave to me. Before returning to the field they gave me
explicit directions how to find the river bank after night at the proper
place, where they agreed to meet us and set us across the river. They
gave their names as Taylor and Sam Jeans, and promised to bring us some
more provisions when they met us as agreed.

I returned to Rummel and Miller, and we had a hearty meal, watching the
negroes at work while we ate, and continuing to watch them until they
quit work and went home.

CHAPTER XVII.

A PUZZLE, AND INCIDENTS.

When the appointed time drew near we broke camp and proceeded to the
designated spot on the river bank, which we found without much trouble.
We waited and waited, but no negroes appeared. It was now nearly
midnight, and a bright moon began to illuminate our surroundings with
the ghostly light that proceeds from a combination of the moon's rays
with the darkness and shadows of a timbered river bottom. We waited
until we could no longer hear a sound from the plantation houses in the
distance and for at least an hour after total silence reigned all about
us. Then we began to fear that the negroes had forgotten us, and I was
despatched to see what I could find.

Now comes a part of my story which I must leave to wiser heads than mine
for explanation. I simply state the facts as they occurred and leave the
reader to satisfy himself or herself as to the controlling influence
which prompted my actions. I cannot satisfactorily explain them to
myself.

I did not know a single foot of the ground over which I was to travel,
and my only guide as to where I wanted to go was the remembrance of the
direction in which we had heard the sounds of plantation life in the
early evening.

I started off through a field and came upon a narrow road on the other
side, evidently a cross road. Down this I turned, in a direction which
did not accord with my memory of the pro