moon. I nebber saw'd 'im like dat before. I
t'ink he's go mad! I tell you what--I'll foller him wid a rifle an'
knife and two revolvers."

"You'll do nothing of the sort," said Nigel, laying hold of the negro's
wrist with a grip of iron; "when a man like Van der Kemp gives an order
it's the duty of inferior men like you and me strictly to obey."

"Well--p'raps you're right, Nadgel," returned Moses calmly. "If you
wasn't, I'd knock you into de middle ob nixt week for takin' a grip o'
me like dat."

"You'll wish yourself into the middle of next fortnight if you disobey
orders," returned our hero, tightening the grip.

Moses threw back his head, opened his cavern, and laughed silently; at
the same time he twisted his arm free with a sudden wrench.

"You's awrful strong, Nadgel, but you don't quite come up to niggers!
Howse'ber, you's right. I'll obey orders; neberdeless I'll get ready
for action."

So saying, the negro extracted from the canoe several revolvers, two of
which he handed to Nigel, two he thrust into his own belt, and two he
laid handy for "massa" when he should return.

"Now, if you're smart at arit'metic, you'll see dat six time six am
t'irty-six, and two double guns das forty-forty dead men's more'n
enuff--besides de knives."

Moses had barely finished these deadly preparations when Van der Kemp
returned as quietly as he had gone. His face was still fierce and
haggard, and his manner hurried though quite decided.

"I have seen him," he said, in a low voice.

"Seen who?" asked Nigel.

"Him whom I had hoped and prayed never more to see. My enemy! Come,
quick, we must leave at once, and without attracting their notice."

He gave his comrades no time to put further questions, but laid hold of
one end of the canoe; Moses took the other end and it was launched in a
few seconds, while Nigel carried down such part of the lading as had
been taken out. Five minutes sufficed to put all on board, and that
space of time was also sufficient to enable Spinkie to observe from his
retreat in the bushes that a departure was about to take place; he
therefore made for the shore with all speed and bounded to his
accustomed place beside the mast.

Taking their places they pushed off so softly that they might well have
been taken for phantoms. A cloud conveniently hid the moon at the time.
Each man plied his paddle with noiseless but powerful stroke, and long
before the cloud uncovered the face of the Q