"Mind how you steer, then!" replied Dan, hastening to the assistance of his terrified companion. "Don't you see you have thrown her up into the wind, so that the sails don't draw a bit!" "Mossifus! dis chile don't wan't to be food for de dogs." "You will be, if you don't mind what you are about," said Dan, as he took the tiller; and putting it up, the boat gathered fresh headway, and soon shot out of reach of the bloodhounds. "Why don't you shoot de wicked dogs?" "I don't want any more noise. I hate the dogs as bad as you do, but we must be careful," replied Dan. "Now, can you mind what you are about, and keep the sails full." "Dis chile kin do dat, for sartin." "If you don't the dogs will have you. Now, be careful, and I will go forward, and take care of the poor fellow, who is nearly dead. Watch the sails; never mind the dogs; they can't catch you, if you sail the boat properly." "You kin trus dis chile for dat. Cyd isn't afeerd ob notin, only he don't want to be eat up by de wicked dogs." Dan went forward, where Lily was bending over the panting runaway, rubbing his temples, and speaking sweet words of hope and comfort to him. In a short time he was in some measure recovered from the effects of his fearful struggle with the fate that beset him. "I was sure I was caught, when I saw de boat," said he, as he raised himself to a sitting posture, and gazed with astonishment at those who had so singularly proved to be friends, instead of foes. "Are there any men on your track?" asked Dan, who could not lose sight of the peril he had incurred by this Samaritan act. "I speck dar is," replied he. "I hear dem off eber so far, but I don't see dem." "Can they chase you on the lake?" "I speck dey can. Dey'll get a boat and follor de dogs." "Where are you from?" asked Lily. "From Major Pembroke's plantation, 'bout ten mile from dese yere parts, I speck." "How long since you run away?" "I luff de place about tree days ago. I stay in de cane-brake till noon to-day, and git so hungry I could stan it no longer. Den I goes out to find someting to eat. Den somebody sees me, and dey follow me wid de dogs. I done kill two of dem dogs, and I kill de rest, but I hear de men coming, and I run for de lake. I speck, when I git in de water, to frow de dogs off de scent, but dey git so near dey see and hear me. Dem's mighty fine nigger dogs, or dey never follor me into de water. I done gib it all up when I hear dem in de water arter me." "Did you get any thing to eat when you went out of the cane-brake," asked Lily. "No, missy; I got seen 'fore I find any ting." "Poor fellow! Then you haven't had any thing to eat for three days?" "Noting but leabes an de bark ob trees." "I will give you some supper at once," said Lily, as she hastened to the cabin. "Lily!" called Dan. "You mustn't light the lantern, or make a fire." "Why not?" "The light would betray us. The slave-hunters will soon be out in their boat after this man." "I will not, then."