Black night comes quickly down there in the south, with but little of
the twilight of the north, and after the night's dark reign there is but
a short dawn before the sun springs up to shed hope and light, and the
bright thoughts of a new day.
And now, with the blood seeming to flow more swiftly through our chilled
frames, came the pipings and twitterings of the birds at the edge of the
forest; there was a misty light, then a roseate flush overhead which
rapidly changed to orange above and below. The black mirror spangled
with diamonds and gold had gone, and as we sat there with the water
lapping now over the ridge, which was quite invisible, the sun's edge
rose over the forest, glorifying the tops of the trees, and the great
green cypress stood up with golden gleams darting through it, and
offering us an inviting refuge from the peril in which we were placed.
"Now, Morgan, ready?" said my father, as he stood up and shook his
limbs.
"Yes, sir, ready. Cheer up, old lass; we'll soon get you there."
I caught a glimpse of Sarah's white despairing face, but my attention
was taken up directly by my father's words.
"Come, Pompey, brave lad, jump in and swim across to the big tree, and
show us the way."
"Iss, massa," cried the boy; and he started up and dived in plump, to
disappear, and then his black head popped up. "Come 'long, Mass'
George," he cried; "so lubbly warm."
"Yes; in with you!" cried my father; and I rose, hesitated a moment, and
then plunged in, to find that by comparison with the air the water was
quite warm.
"I dab fuss," cried Pompey, and he swam on to soon reach one of the
boughs, and turn round to wait for me.
I did not keep him long; and as soon as we had seated ourselves astride
of the great branch just level with the water, we stayed to watch the
coming of the rest.
That little swim after the effort required to make the first plunge was
simplicity itself to us boys; and consequently I looked almost
wonderingly at the effort it caused my father and Morgan to get across
with Sarah, whom they supported between them.
They started well, swimming of course abreast, and with Hannibal coming
behind, but after a time they began to get deeper in the water, and to
be swimming with more effort, fighting so fiercely at last that if it
had not been for Hannibal lending them a helping hand, they would have
been swept away.
I could not understand the reason for some time, but at last made out
that they had drifted into a spot where two little currents met, and
were striving against a force which I had not encountered, and were
being carried away.
At last, by making a desperate effort, they swam on up the swift little
current, and were nearing the tree fast, getting well toward the bough
on which we two boys were seated, when all at once they stopped and
began struggling again.
They were so near the end of the bough, that had we been there I could
almost have reached them, and yet, so close to safety, they were, as I
at last realised, completely helpless.
"What is it? What's the matter, father?" I cried, excitedly.
"Caught--caught among the boughs underneath," he panted, hoarsely; and I
knew now that they had swum into and become entangled among the
submerged boughs.