u won't want
blankets in this weather, and, see--there is a pillow for you and
another for Moses."

"I cannot _see_, but I can feel," said Nigel, with a soft laugh, as he
passed the pillow aft.

"T'ank ee, Nadgel," said Moses; "here--feel behind you an' you'll find
grub for yourself an' some to pass forid to massa. Mind when you slip
down for go to sleep dat you don't dig your heels into massa's skull.
Dere's no bulkhead to purtect it."

"I'll be careful," said Nigel, beginning his invisible supper with keen
appetite. "But how about _my_ skull, Moses? Is there a bulkhead
between it and _your_ heels?"

"No, but you don't need to mind, for I allers sleeps doubled up, wid my
knees agin my chin. It makes de arms an' legs feel more sociable like."

With this remark Moses ceased to encourage conversation--his mouth being
otherwise engaged.

Thereafter they slipped down into their respective places, laid their
heads on their pillows and fell instantly into sound repose, while the
dark waters flowed sluggishly past, and the only sound that disturbed
the universal stillness was the occasional cry of some creature of the
night or the flap of an alligator's tail.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

A NEW FRIEND FOUND--NEW DANGERS ENCOUNTERED AND NEW HOPES DELAYED.

When grey dawn began to dispel the gloom of night, Nigel Roy awoke with
an uncomfortable sensation of having been buried alive. Stretching
himself as was his wont he inadvertently touched the head of Van der
Kemp, an exclamation from whom aroused Moses, who, uncoiling himself,
awoke Spinkie. It was usually the privilege of that affectionate
creature to nestle in the negro's bosom.

With the alacrity peculiar to his race, Spinkie sprang through the
manhole and sat down in his particular place to superintend, perhaps to
admire, the work of his human friends, whose dishevelled heads emerged
simultaneously from their respective burrows.

Dawn is a period of the day when the spirit of man is calmly reflective.
Speech seemed distasteful that morning, and as each knew what had to be
done, it was needless. The silently conducted operations of the men
appeared to arouse fellow-feeling in the monkey, for its careworn
countenance became more and more expressive as it gazed earnestly and
alternately into the faces of its comrades. To all appearance it seemed
about to speak--but it didn't.

Pushing out from the shore they paddled swiftly up stream, and soon put
such a di