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Updated: May 12, 2025
"See dar!" exclaimed Quin, triumphantly. "He done git better so quick. Gib him some more;" and he dashed another pailful upon him. "Go away dar!" cried Cyd, trying to rise; but Dan held him fast. "Dat do him heaps ob good," added Quin; and he continued to apply the harsh remedy. "Don't do it any more, Quin," interposed Lily, who seemed to think the remedy was as bad as the disorder.
He was nearly exhausted; but so was Cyd, and he was afraid the latter would drop asleep if he left the boat in his care. While he sat by the tiller, dreaming of the future, and struggling to keep awake, he discovered a sail far to the southward of him. The sight roused him from his lethargy, for he had not seen any thing that looked like a vessel since the day he parted with Colonel Raybone.
But Cyd was needlessly disturbed in the present instance, for his lordly master had no intention of abandoning the cruise, though if he had been so condescending as to say so when he ordered the Edith to return, he would have saved her crew all the bitter pangs of disappointment which they had endured during the retrograde passage.
By this time Cyd returned with the bird which the sportsman had killed, and Dan announced the appalling fact that Colonel Raybone was on board of the steamer, and had recognized him and the boat. "Possifus!" exclaimed Cyd, leaping upon the deck of the Isabel. "Wha wha what we gwine to do?" "Take this gun, and do as I do," replied Dan, as he went into the cabin after the rifle.
Dan crouched down in the bottom of the Isabel, with the gun ready for use when the decisive moment should arrive; Quin and Cyd did the same, and the intrepid skipper proceeded to give them such instructions for repelling the assault as the occasion required.
"Gossifus!" shouted Cyd, who still retained his position at the helm, though his interest in the scene of the forward deck caused him to steer very badly. "Hossifus!" added he, in gasping tones; "de dogs! de dogs!" "What's the matter, Cyd?" demanded Dan. "De dogs! Dey done eat dis chile all up! Dey won't leabe de ghost ob a grease-spot luff of dis nigger!" cried Cyd, in mortal terror.
"Heave to, and let us see you a minute." "What for?" "Want to talk with you." "Can't stop." "Guess ye kin. Heven't ye seen nary nigger?" "No." "Well, stop won't ye?" "Can't stop; must get home by sunrise." "Well, ye must stop!" yelled the speaker, angrily, and with an oath. "Hossifus!" groaned Cyd, in mortal terror. "Shut up, Cyd," added Dan, sternly.
The next day, while Lily was keeping watch, both Dan and Cyd being asleep in the cabin, she heard the dip of oars in the bayou. Her heart beat a furious tattoo against her ribs, and she almost sank with horror, as she listened to the sounds which indicated the approach of the dreaded enemy. It was her duty to call Dan; but she seemed to be riveted to her seat.
If it should not, a fifty-six pound weight, taken from the ballast in the run, was to be pitched into the boat, as she came alongside, which would break out a hole in its bottom, and sink it before the enemy could get on board; Cyd was then to do duty with his boat-hook, and the others with similar weapons. The slave-hunters showed some hesitation in boarding the schooner.
"Hossifus!" ejaculated Cyd, whose vocabulary being rather limited, he was under the necessity of coining a word occasionally, when he felt the need of a strong expression. "Dis nigger tink he was free, but it's Do dis, and Do dat. Hossifus; dis chile tink he's only got a new massa dat's all, for sartin." "If you don't want to go, Cyd, you needn't. I will put you on shore, and go without you."
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