"Will you let me die here? My wound may mortify. I think it is growing worse instead of better," added he, with a groan of anguish. "I will give you my word, Dandy, if you will put me on board of any vessel bound to any place where I can get home, I will give you all your freedom. If you are arrested, send to me, and you shall have free papers. You know I always keep my word, Dandy." It was a terrible necessity which could extort such a declaration from the imperious planter, and Dan decided to accept the proposition. The anchor was weighed, and the Isabel stood out of the inlet where she had lain for three days. They cruised all day without meeting a vessel; but on the following morning they hailed a small schooner bound up the bay. "I will keep my promise, Dandy, to the letter," said Colonel Raybone, as they bore him to the deck. "Here is some money, which you may want before long;" and he handed Dan a roll of bills. "Thank you, sir," replied he. "I hope we part friends." "Yes, Dandy; and if you ever want a friend, come to me." The crew of the schooner asked a great many questions, all of which Colonel Raybone took it upon himself to answer. He was placed in the cabin of the vessel, and Dan, bidding him good by, hastened back to the Isabel. They parted in peace, and Lily could not restrain her tears as the schooner bore away on her course. CHAPTER XXIV. THE YOUNG FUGITIVES MAKE A HARBOR. "Colonel Raybone is not a bad man, after all," said Dan, as the Isabel filled away. "He wouldn't be, if he wasn't a slaveholder," replied Lily. "Possifus! I feel 'tickler sorry for ole massa, when he lay dar and couldn't help hisself," added Cyd. "If he could have helped himself, he wouldn't have lain there. I never saw such a change come over a man. He will be ashamed of himself, I know, when he gets well, and it will be lucky for us that we are out of his reach." "He would keep his word, Dan; you know that," said Lily, whose looks seemed to contain a mild rebuke of the sentiment just uttered. "He would; at least, he wouldn't wish to break his word; but he will want me as soon as he gets to be Colonel Raybone again." "Why, he was always good to us," responded Lily. "He was always liberal and generous, and treated all the people well, while they behaved to suit him." "They ought to behave well." "I had to fawn and cringe before him, and before Archy. If I dared to say my soul was my own, I was punished for it. What did I get whipped for?" "For striking Archy." "Well, why did I strike him? Didn't he insist upon my striking him? and when he came at me like a madman, because I happened to hit him rather harder than I intended, I was tied up to the Dead Oak, and whipped like a mule. I shall carry the marks of that day to my grave," continued Dan, earnestly. "But he has changed."