indebted to no
one.'

"`Dat's right, Massa Roff!' replied Cudjo; `ebery man put him own
shoulder to him own wheel, else de wheel no run good.'

"And so the brave fellow and I stripped off our coats, and set to work
in earnest. My dear Mary here, who had been brought up a delicate lady,
but could suit herself gracefully to every situation, helped us all she
could, cheering us every now and then with an allusion to Cairo, and our
farm under the water. It has always a comforting effect, to persons in
situations of difficulty to reflect that they might still be worse off,
and such reflections will often prop up the drooping spirits, and lead
to success in conquering the difficulty. `Never give up' is a good old
motto, and God will help them who show perseverance and energy.

"So did it happen with us. By dint of wedging and hammering we
succeeded in binding the wheel as fast as ever; but it was near night
before we had finished the job. When we had got it upon the axle again,
and were ready for the road, we saw, with some apprehension, that the
sun was setting. We knew we could not travel by night, not knowing what
road to take; and, as we were close to water, we resolved to stay where
we were until morning.

"We were up before day, and, having cooked and eaten our breakfast,
moved forward upon the track made by the caravan. We wondered that none
of our companions had come back during the night--as this is usual in
such cases,--but we expected _every_ moment to meet some of them
returning to look after us. We travelled on, however, until noon, and
still none of them appeared. We could see before us a rough tract of
country with rocky hills, and some trees growing in the valleys; and the
trail we were following evidently led among these.

"As we pushed forward, we heard among the hills a loud crashing report
like the bursting of a bombshell. What could it mean? We knew there
were some shells along with the howitzers. Were our comrades attacked
by Indians, and was it one of the cannon they had fired upon them? No;
that could not be. There was but one report, and I knew that the
discharge of a shell from a howitzer must give two,--that which
accompanies the discharge, and then the bursting of the bomb itself.
Could one of the shells have burst by accident? That was more likely;
and we halted, and listened for further sounds. We stopped for nearly
half an hour, but could hear nothing, and we then moved on a