Scarcely had we recovered from the effects of this, when we heard in the distance shouts and yells and the barking of dogs. Crouching in our nest we listened intently. The sounds approached, but while those who made them were yet at some distance we were startled by the sudden approach of a dark object, running at full speed. It seemed like a man, or rather a huge ape, for it was black, and as it came tearing towards us, running on its hind-legs, we could see its eyes glaring in the moonlight, and could hear its labouring breath. It was evidently hard pressed by its pursuers, for it did not see what lay before it, and had well-nigh run over our couch ere it observed Jack standing on one leg, with the other limb raised in a threatening attitude above his head. It was too late to turn to avoid the blow. Uttering a terrible cry the creature fell on its knees, and, trembling violently, cried-- "Oh, massa! oh, massa, spare me! Me no runaway agin. Mercy, massa! mercy!" "Silence, you noisy villain," cried Jack, seizing the negro by the hair of the head. "Yis, massa," gasped the man, while his teeth chattered and the whites of his eyes rolled fearfully. "What are you? Where d'ye come from? Who's after ye?" To these abrupt questions, the poor negro replied as briefly, that he was a runaway slave, and that his master and bloodhounds were after him. We had guessed as much, and the deep baying of the hounds convinced us of the truth of his statement. "Quick," cried Jack, dragging the black to the edge of our log, "get under there; lie flat; keep still;" so saying he thrust the negro under the branches that formed our couch. We covered him well up and then sat down on him. Before we had well finished our task the foremost of the bloodhounds came bounding towards us, with its eyeballs glaring and its white fangs glittering in the dim light like glow-worms in a blood-red cavern. It made straight for the spot where the negro was concealed, and would have seized him in another instant, had not Jack, with one blow of his leg, beat in its skull. "Shove him out of sight, Bob." I seized the dead hound and obeyed, while my comrade prepared to receive the second dog. But that animal seemed more timid. It swerved as the blow was delivered, received on its haunches, and fled away howling in another direction. Jack at once laid down his leg and sat down on the negro, motioning me to do the same. Then pulling an old tobacco-pipe out of his pocket, he affected to be calmly employed in filling it when the pursuers came up. There were two of them, in straw hats and nankeen pantaloons, armed with cudgels, and a more ruffianly pair of villains I never saw before or since. "Hallo! strangers," cried one, as they halted for a few moments on observing us. "Queer place to camp. Fond o' water and dirt, I guess?"