The struggle was very fierce but short. Nic fought his best, and, in
spite of the excitement, wondered at his strength. He was encouraged,
too, by Pete, whom he heard raging and tearing about; and, hard pressed
as he was, he yet had a thought for his companion.
"Never mind me, Master Nic," he shouted. "Zwim for it--the boat. Never
mind me."
Then his voice was smothered, and there was the sound of a heavy fall,
but the struggle went on.
"Hold on!" came the voice of the overseer, giving his orders; and then
that of the settler:
"Give in, you scoundrels!" he raged out. Then fiercely, "Hold their
heads under water, boys, if they don't give in."
"All done now, sah," panted Samson, with his lips close to Nic's head,
for he was across his prisoner's chest, and a couple of the blacks were
holding his legs.
"Yes, we must give up, Master Nic," cried Pete. "I've got five loads o'
black stuff sitting on me."
"Have you your whip with you, Saunders?" cried the settler.
"No, sir; I wish I had. But it is hanging by the door, and we can give
them a better taste by daylight."
"You use it on him," roared Pete fiercely, "and I'll kill you."
"Silence, you scoundrel!" cried the settler, "or I'll have you gagged as
well as ironed. I warned you both of what would happen if you tried to
escape."
"Lucky for them I let loose the black dogs instead of the brown," cried
the overseer. "We should not have had the trouble of taking them back.
Tie their hands behind their backs, Samson, and have the irons ready as
soon as we get to the house."
"Got no rope, sah."
"What!" cried the settler. "Why didn't you bring some, you black fool?"
"No time, sah," said the black humbly. "Soon as dat ugly ruffyum,
Humpy, come knock at door and say dey 'scape, Zerk call me quite sharp,
an' I come tell you, and dey fetch de boy and have 'em back. Me no
t'ink 'bout no rope, sah; on'y t'ink dey go swim for de boat and catch
'em first."
"Quite right," said the settler more calmly. "There, one of you go in
front of each man, and two others take fast hold of a wrist on each
side. Cock your pistols, Saunders."
There was a sharp clicking sound.
"Walk behind that big scoundrel, and if he makes the slightest attempt
to escape send a bullet through him. I'll look after this one. Pity we
didn't stop to loose the dogs. Ready?"
"Iss, sah," came from Samson, as Nic felt a strong hand like a live
handcuff upon each wrist.
"Lead on, then."
"You be very careful, please, massa; no make mistake and shoot dis boy."
"Oh yes, I'll take care."
The march back began, and at the second step Nic felt that a cold ring
of iron had been pressed between his shoulders--the pistol-muzzle
resting upon his skin where the shirt had been torn down from neck to
waist.
He could not suppress a shiver, for the heat and passion of the struggle
had passed away, leaving him weary, aching, and depressed.
But in a few minutes the pistol-muzzle was withdrawn, it being awkward
for the holder to walk over the rough ground and keep it there; and the
prisoner marched on between his black warders as patiently as Pete in
front, thinking perhaps the same ideas.
For he felt that they had not taken warning by the hints they had
received. Humpy Dee had been on the watch, and, in his malignity, let
them get away before giving notice to the sentry, that they might be
caught, ironed, and flogged, or perhaps meet their death in the
struggle.
But Nic had yet to find that Humpy Dee's designs were deeper than this.
The walk back was not long enough for a hundredth part of the bitter
thoughts that crowded into Nic Revel's brain; neither would they have
got a hearing had the distance been a thousand times the length, on
account of the one dominant horror which filled his brain: "Will they
flog us?--will they flog us?" That question was always repeating
itself, and, when the prisoner heard Pete utter a low groan, he was
convinced that the poor fellow was possessed by similar thoughts.
Only so short a time before that they had left their quarters, and now
they were back in the darkness, their plans crushed, and only the
punishment to look forward to.
"Now, Sam, be sharp with a couple of lanthorns and those irons," cried
the overseer.
"Iss, sah."
"Prisoners been quiet?" whispered the settler to the sentry.
"Iss, sah, berry quiet; all fass asleep;" and the man let his musket
fall down upon the ground with an ominous thud as, in obedience to an
order, he unlocked the shed-door and lowered the huge bar before drawing
it open.
"Now then," muttered the overseer, "how long is he going to be with that
lanthorn? Here, in with them, boys; but don't loose your hold till I
tell you."
Nic and Pete were hurried on; and, as soon as they were inside, the
settler and his lieutenant stood in the doorway, pistol in hand, while
Nic's face was involuntarily turned in the direction of the corner where
Humpy Dee's bunk lay, in the full expectation of hearing some bantering
sneer.
But the man made no sign, and directly after the _pad_, _pad_ of
Samson's feet was heard, and a faint light threw up the figures of those
at the doorway. Then Samson's big black face appeared, lit up by the
lanthorns he swung, one in each hand.
"I take in de light, sah, and den go fetch de irons?"
"Yes; look sharp," cried Saunders.
He made way for the black to pass, and the man raised one of the
lanthorns to hang it upon a hook. He did not do this, but raised the
other lanthorn and hurriedly took a few steps in the direction of the
bunks, to begin shouting directly:
"Hyah!" he cried, "whar dem oder white fellow? You, Zerk, what you go
and done wid de oder man?"
"What!" roared the settler and the overseer in a breath as they rushed
forward, pistol in hand.
"All gone, sah," cried Samson, beginning to tremble.
"Bah! you 'most fass 'sleep," cried Xerxes, who had come in at the call
of his companion; "dey all tuck under de corn-'talk."
"You black idiot!" roared the overseer, turning upon the sentry so
savagely that the man's knees began to knock together; he let go his
hold of his musket, and it fell on the floor with a thud, followed by a
flash and an explosion, while the man escaped a knockdown blow by
ducking.
"Here, quick!" cried the settler, who had seized one of the lanthorns
from Samson and convinced himself that the other prisoners had taken
advantage of the hole made by Pete, and, as soon as the chase began,
climbed quietly out in turn. "All of you follow. Pick up that musket
and load it again, you black fool!"
"No 'top clap irons on dese two, sah?" cried Samson.
"No. Here, Saunders, fetch another musket. Samson, you and Nero guard
these two while we're gone; and if you let them escape I'll shoot you."
"No, no," said Saunders quickly; "I'll manage them. We want all our
men. Here, Sam; go and let loose the dogs."
"But these two?" cried the settler impatiently.
"Well, the dogs will watch them."
"We want them, man, to track the other scoundrels."
"We can do that ourselves. They followed us, for a hundred pounds, and
have taken the boat by now."
The settler uttered a furious oath and stamped his foot.
"Sharper than we are," he roared. "Yes, that is right."
Just then the dogs, newly set at liberty, came bounding up, followed by
Samson; and the overseer went up to the two prisoners.
"There, lie down in your kennels," he snarled. "We shall not be long,
and it depends upon yourselves whether we find you when we come back. I
warn you that if you move the hounds will tear you to pieces."
"Saunders!" whispered the settler.
"Their lives will be in their own hands, sir," cried the overseer
warmly. "Let me have my own way, please; it is the only thing to do."
The settler shrugged his shoulders, and the blacks all stood there
round-eyed and staring, while the two unfortunates lay down in their
bunks, and the overseer called up the dogs and bade them couch.
"Watch," he said fiercely, and a deep-toned growl arose. "Stay there
and watch."
"Now, sir," he said coldly, "the sooner we are off the better. Out with
you, boys, and bring the lights."
The blacks ran out, the settler followed, and the overseer went to the
door last.
"I've warned you," he said fiercely, as he turned to face the prisoners.
"Make the slightest movement, and those hounds will be at your throats
and rend you limb from limb. Good dogs, then--watch," he shouted; then
he banged the door, locked and barred it, and just then the settler's
voice was heard at a little distance.
"Here, Saunders," he cried; "two of the loaded muskets have been taken
from the hooks."
"Hor, hor!" laughed Pete savagely; "just found that out?"
He ceased, for three dogs sprang to their feet, uttering a furious
barking trio which made his heart seem to leap to his throat.
In the intense desire to save himself, Nic sprang up into a sitting
position and spoke quickly and gently, calling to the dog which had
shown a friendly disposition towards him from the first.
"Don't do that, Master Nic," said Pete hoarsely.
But even as the man spoke the dog was upon Nic's bunk, whining, pawing
at him, and thrusting its great muzzle in his hand, uttering the while a
low, eager bark.
The others barked too, and, as if in imitation of their companion, made
at Nic as well, favouring him with their clumsy caresses, and ending by
sitting close up to him, panting loudly.
"Have they killed you, Master Nic?" whispered Pete hoarsely, eliciting a
fierce growl from one of the brutes.
"Quiet," cried Nic loudly, and the growling ceased; while the next
moment from out of the darkness a great head began to nestle upon his
shoulder. "Good dog, then!" cried Nic, patting and stroking its head.
"There, I think you may venture to talk, Pete."
"Do you, zir? If I waren't beginning to think they'd done for you.
Aren't you hurt, then?"
"No; they are used to us now, and I don't think there's anything to
fear. Look here; do you dare to reach out your hand and pat him?"
"No, zir; I'm too great a coward. I was always feared of a dog's bite;
not of the dog."
Nic was silent for a few moments, and then he began to pat first one dog
and then another heavily, the great brutes submitting to the
familiarities evidently with satisfaction, one of them beginning to
bound about the shed, and returning to be caressed again.
"You order me to come close and pat one of 'em, Master Nic, and I will,"
said Pete hoarsely.
"Come on, then."
The man drew a deep breath and made the venture, with so much success
attending it that he tried it upon the others.
"Master Nic," he whispered excitedly, "what do you think of that?"
"Of what?"
"Here's one of 'em licking my face. Oh, I zay, it don't mean tasting me
first to zee whether I'm good, do it?"
"No; the poor brutes believe we are friends, I suppose, from being shut
up with us. But, Pete, they've all gone off after the others. Couldn't
we try to escape again?"
"Nay; t'others have got the boat."
"But the high ground yonder, or the woods?"
"Nay; they'd hunt us down with the dogs. The beggars would go at us if
they hounded 'em on."
Nic was silenced for a few moments, and he sat with a dog on either side
and his arms on their necks.
"But we could get out again; the shingles must be off the roof."
"Yes; that's how Humpy and the others got out, zir. They must ha' known
all our plans."
"Let's creep out, then; the dogs couldn't follow."
"S'pose not, zir; but they'd make howl enough to bring the gaffers back
to lay 'em on our scent. I don't think it's any use to try. I'd face
it and the dogs too with my knife; they never took it away from me. Did
they take yourn?"
"I don't know, Pete. No: here it is."
"And it would be too hard on you to have to face 'em. Best not to try.
We had our go and missed; p'raps we'd better take what they give us and
not grumble."
"Impossible, Pete. I'd rather face the dogs than the lash. But I don't
believe they'd hurt us now."
"P'raps not, zir," said Pete sadly. "This here one's as playful as a
puppy. He's 'tending to bite my arm, but he don't hurt a bit."
There was silence again for a few minutes, during which time Nic sat
with his heart beating hard, listening to the familiar sounds which came
from the forest, while the passionate desire to flee grew and grew till
it swept everything before it.
"Pete," he cried at last, "we must escape. Better starve in the woods
than lead such a life as this. We shall be flogged to-morrow, and it
will kill me, I know."
"The dogs'll hunt us down if we go, lad, and we shall get it worse.
Better face what we've got to have."
"I will not; I cannot, Pete. The way is open, man. Let's try for our
liberty before these wretches come back."
"Zay the word, then, Master Nic; but the dogs is friends now, as long as
we're quiet; they won't let us go."
"Ah, I know!" cried Nic wildly. "Why didn't I think of it before?"
"Think of what, zir?"
"This. Perhaps they might attack us if they thought they were going to
be left."
"That's zo."
"And if we got away they'd be laid on our track."
"O' course, zir."
"Then we will not give Saunders the chance."
"I dunno what you mean, zir; but I'm ready for anything you tell me to
do. What is it?"
"Take the dogs with us, man. I believe they'll follow us now."
"Take 'em with us?" panted Pete. "Why, o' course! I never thought o'
that. But we can't, Master Nic; we're locked in."
"The roof's open. Look here, Pete; I'm going to climb out at once. The
dogs will begin to bay at this, but as soon as I'm on the roof, ready to
drop down, you get up, put your hands against the boards, and lay
a-back. Then I'll call them. They'll scramble up, and I'll help them
through. You come last."
"Think they'll do it?" said Pete, panting like one of the hounds.
"I'm sure they will."
"Be worse than the flogging," cried Pete excitedly; "they'll tear all
the skin off my back. But I don't care; I'm ready. They'll leave the
bones."
"Ready, then?" cried Nic. "The moment there's room make a back for the
dogs."
The eager talking excited the great animals, and they began to sniff at
the speakers and growl; but Nic's blood was up, and he was ready to risk
an attack on the chance of his scheme succeeding.
"A dog is a dog, whether it's here or at home, and I know their nature
pretty well."
The next moment he was proving it by leaping to his feet.
"Hey, boys, then!" he cried loudly; "the woods--a run in the woods!"
The dogs sprang round him, and began leaping up, barking excitedly.
"Come on, then," he shouted, though his heart leaped with a choking
sensation at his mouth; and, scrambling up to the opening by means of
the pegs, he was the next minute squeezing himself through, the dogs
bounding up at him as he went, and nearly causing him to fall. For one
moment he felt he was being dragged back, and shuddered at the thought
of what might happen if the excited animals got him down.
But the dread passed away as quickly as it had come. He tore off
another of the shingles to widen the opening, and shouted down into the
shed:
"Come on, then. Come on."
Already the hounds were growing savage in their disappointment, and
baying and growling with tremendous clamour, as they kept on leaping
over each other and dropping back.
But at the words of encouragement from above one of them awoke to the
fact that there was a step all ready in the darkness, and, leaping upon
it, the great creature reached up, got its paws on the sides of the
opening, scrambled through without help from Nic, as he sat on the roof,
and leaped down.
That was enough; the others followed quickly, and the next minute Pete
was up, seated by Nic's side, the dogs now leaping at them from below,
barking loudly.
"Hurt?" panted Nic.
"Not a bit. Durst us jump down?"
"We must," cried Nic firmly; and, shouting to the dogs, he lowered
himself down, dropped to the ground, and was followed by Pete.
"Hie on, boys! Forward, then!" cried Nic, as the dogs leaped and
bounded around him, and he began to trot away from the river.
"Which way?" said Pete, who was as excited now as his companion.
"Wherever the dogs lead us," replied Nic. "Anywhere away from this
slavery and death. Forward, then, boys! Hie on!"
The dogs ceased barking and began dashing on through the plantation
leading to the nearest wood. The hunt was up, and Nic had rightly
weighed their nature. They were off in chase of something; that was
enough, and the two men followed, feeling that at last they were on the
highroad to freedom, with their most dreaded enemies turned to friends.
"Master Nic," said Pete hoarsely as they trotted on, step for step
following the sound made by the heavy dogs, "I aren't never been a
'ligious sort of a chap, but would it be any harm if, instead o'
kneeling down proper, I was to try and say a prayer as we run?"
"Harm, Pete?" cried Nic, with a wild, hysterical ring in his voice; "it
could not be. Why, I've been praying for help ever since I leaped down
among those savage beasts. I could not have ventured but for that."
Sound travels far during the night, and, though the fugitives were not
aware of it, their attempt to escape was known. For, just when the dogs
were free of the shed and were baying their loudest, the settler, at the
head of his men, turned to Saunders:
"Hear that?" he said hoarsely.
"Yes. They've risked it, and the dogs are running them down. Well,
they have only themselves to thank; I wash my hands of it all."
The settler shuddered, for his companion's words had brought up a
thought that was full of horror; and for a moment he was about to order
his blacks to turn back. But just then the overseer whispered:
"Keep up, sir; not a sound, please. We shall have them now."
"No firing," said the settler quickly; "they will be unarmed."
"I don't know that," said the overseer; "but we shall soon know. Hadn't
we better deal with them as they deal with us? Hark! the dogs are quiet
now. They've got their prisoners, and, if I'm not wrong, in a few
minutes we shall have taken ours."
"Heah dat, Zerk?" whispered Samson.
There was a grunt.
"You an' me's gwan to have de arm-ache to-morrow morn' wid all dat lot
to flog."
"Iss," whispered Xerxes; "and den got to go and bury dem oder one
bones."