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Updated: June 26, 2025
Mass' George, you go 'top seep all day?" I started up to find that I had slept for hours, and light in the shape of the morning was at the window, in company with darkness in the form of Pomp's black face. I lost no time in dressing after opening my window wide, there being no fear now of Pomp getting at me to have his revenge while I was asleep for the tricks I had played upon him.
It was all the work of a few moments, during which I was startled enough, especially when I saw the gaping jaws of the great reptile, and heard the snap it made at the oar-blade; but we were going swiftly by, and mingled with the terror there was something so comic in Pomp's actions, that in the reaction I began to laugh.
It seemed to him that he had hardly closed his eyes, when a hand was laid on his shoulder, and Pomp's voice whispered in his ear: "Wake up, young massa; 'most daylight." "You sleep mighty sound, chile," said the old woman, as Frank rose from the bed. "I's sorry to be 'bilged to 'sturb you, but you must be gwine now. Here's a little bite for you to eat."
I led the way in and out among the busy groups, where, chattering over the fires they had lit, the blacks were making bread or cooking, and every now and then I had to catch hold of Pomp's arm and half drag him along, so great was the interest he took in what was going on; for he evidently felt no modesty or shrinking about making his presence known.
Meanwhile the other savage was trying to tear the oar from Pomp's grasp, and he would have succeeded had not the boy drawn the knife he had stuck in his waist, and given the Indian quickly a sharp cut across the hands, making him yell and loosen his hold.
"Mass' George hungly?" said a familiar voice; and there was Pomp's contented face before me, as he came up hugging to him some slices of bread. "No," I said, ill-humouredly, "I can't eat; my leg hurts me so." "Pomp can," he said; "and him hand hurt too. Missie Morgan want to see Mass' George."
As we did so silently I turned to look, and sat there petrified for a few moments, before I softly laid my hand on Pomp's arm. He turned round sharply and saw what I did a party of six Indians on the opposite bank. Before either of us could dip oar again we were seen; there was a deep, low exclamation, and the party turned and plunged into the forest and were gone.
There was the great star-specked sky reaching down towards earth, and ending suddenly in a clearly defined line which I knew was the edge of the forest beyond the plantations, which all lay in darkness that was almost black. I strained my eyes, and held my breath, looking and listening, but could make out nothing, and at last I placed my lips close to Pomp's ear. "Where are they?" I said. "Dah!"
My father took command of one of these scouting parties, and after a little persuasion he gave me his consent that we two boys should accompany it. He refused at first, but on my pointing out how keen Pomp's sight and sense of hearing were, he reluctantly said yes, and we went slowly on.
Wait a bit, Mass' George." "But my father yours and Morgan?" "Well, what 'bout um, Mass' George?" "We ought to warn them." "Dey must take care ob demself. No good to go and be caught. Dat not help um fader." There was so much truth in this that I did not oppose Pomp's plan of getting up in the tree, and hiding until the pursuit was over.
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