Part 34 (1/2)

”Yes, ripped Nic's hand as he lay straining his hearing to try and ascertain whether the overseer had entered the house; but the barking or croaking of reptiles was the only sound

Another hour h his veins, for a hand touched his again lightly, and seemed to seek for the other Directly after he felt a hot breath upon his face, and lips to his ear, uttering the one word:

”Come!”

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY

Before Nic Revel's reat black rock, but he did not shrink He rose softly fro hard to keep the corn-stalks fro, and felt Pete as the -place and stood with his face to the back of the shed

Then, in the , Nic knew that his cos into the knot-holes in the stout planks, and raised himself by hand and foot till he could softly draw the wooden shi+ngles of the roof aside, and the cool, ht caht star, which was blotted out by so continued

Nic turned to listen, but all ithin the shed He could hear the deep breathing of sleepers, and the low hu will it be?” thought Nic, as tre with excitement; but the suspense was soon over All at once there was a dull sound, such ason the earth outside, and he knew that his turn had coh clothed, merely in short-sleeved, striped cotton shi+rt, and breeches which did not reach the knee, and his feet were bare, so that there was nothing to hinder his efforts as he reached up till he could place one foot upon the first peg Then, seeking for the other, he seized it in his hand, and drew hi position upon the first, reached up to the rafters, drew hi and pass his head and shoulders through the hole in the roof; then, resting a hand on either side, he drew his legs through, turned and lowered hiround almost without a sound

It was intensely dark, but every step was fah, and there was no need for words: their plans had been too well ht was in both reatest obstacle they had to dread:

Where were the dogs? If loose, and their approach were heard, the great brutes would set up a fierce baying directly, prelie attack; and then--

They neither of them cared to reckon more in advance than that, and went softly on, to receive proof directly that the dogs were not loose, for there ca drawn over wood, followed by a low, rowl, as if one of the ani cautiously, Nic went straight up to the front of the building, feeling as if, at any ht see the flash of a musket and hear its roar

But the place was dark and still, and the croaking and other sounds which caht footsteps as they approached

The door was closed, but the two long, los in the veranda proved to be open; and, as Nic approached the one upon his right and listened, he could distinctly hear the heavy breathing of a sleeper He drew cautiously back, to come in contact with Pete, as taken by surprise at the sudden ainst their ribs, feeling certain that theynearly asoftly to theon his left, the perspiration strea down his face, for the heat was intense

He listened here, with Pete close behind, but all was still, the ide open to admit the air; and he knew that all he had to do was to pass softly in, take down a couple of the guns, passing one out at a tih theto Pete, beat a retreat, and then all would be as easy as possible It was only cool, quiet action--that was all; but Nic for a ti heavily, in the full expectation of hearing his coe him on

Pete did not stir: he felt that he must trust to his companion's common-sense, and leave him to act as was best

Then the power to act seerasped the -sill, passed one leg in, then the other, and stood upon the bare floor, fully expecting to hear a bullet whiz past his head, even if it did not strike

But he could hear nothing; the housea deep breath, he acted quickly now, turned to his left, raised his hands, and pressed forward till they touched one of the weapons hanging upon the wall

A sudden feeling of elation now caly easy, as he stepped softly to theto pass out ait taken from his hand directly

The next minute he was in front of the other pieces, and took down a second musket, felt that the flask and pouch were attached to it, and, with his pulses hard at work, he was about to make for the hen every drop of blood in his veins seery oath, a quick start, and the overseer, who had been sleeping upon a rough couch, rose to a sitting position

It was too dark for Nic to ure within ten feet of hi to use it as a club at the first attack; one which see at hi this pause lasted it is impossible to say, but to the intruder it see ain