Part 19 (1/2)

”Now, up with it,” added Dan, when the reef-points were all taken up.

The mainsail was hoisted, and again the Isabel dashed madly on her course, for she had now all the sail she could carry in that fierce blow. Dan stood at the helm, with his eyes measuring the distances, as the vivid lightning revealed the bearings of the sh.o.r.es. Cyd was ordered to the forecastle to keep a sharp lookout ahead, while Quin was directed to bale out the boat, for at least a hogshead of water had poured in over the side when the flaw struck her.

The wind came in heavy gusts, each one of which threatened to ”knock down” the Isabel; and if her skipper had not been a thorough boatman, such must have been her fate. By skilfully meeting the flaws as they struck her, he prevented her from capsizing. Under ordinary circ.u.mstances he would have deemed it highly imprudent to carry any sail, and would have anch.o.r.ed the boat with a long cable; but this was the battle of Freedom, and success was worth any risk and any peril which it might require.

The tempest, however, was of short duration. When the rain began to pour in torrents, the gale subsided. The reefs were shaken out, and, finally, the foresail was set again. The wind continued to blow pretty fresh, but all danger was at an end.

”What you 'pose come ob dem men?” asked Quin, as he finished his task of baling out the boat.

”I don't know; but I feel confident that not all of them are able to tell what has happened to them.”

”One of them was. .h.i.t wid de shot,” added Quin.

”And I struck one over the head with a fender.”

”Dem two mus be gone killed dead for sure,” said Quin, with solemn earnestness.

”Of course it was not possible for them to get ash.o.r.e, for their boat was stove all to pieces. Do you know them, Quin?”

”Yes, sar; dey's all n.i.g.g.e.r-hunters.”

”Could they swim?”

”I dunno; but I s'peck dey could.”

”It would not make much difference whether they could or not. The wind blew a hurricane for a few moments.”

”Quin tinks dey must be all dead,” replied the man, shaking his head.

”I'm afraid they are; but it was not our fault. If I thought they were, I would not go down the lake any farther,” added Dan, musing.

”I feels almost sartin dey's gone to dar reward--'may de good Lo'd hab mercy on dar sinful souls.'”

Dan considered the question for a time in silence, and finally determined to put the boat about, and head her for his destination at the north-westerly corner of the lake. The rain still came down in torrents; but as all on deck were provided with rubber coats, belonging to the boat, which had been provided for the use of the planter and his guests on board, they did not suffer, and were not even very uncomfortable. But if they had been, it would not have been regarded as a serious matter, amid the fierce excitements of that eventful night.

The storm was nothing more than one of those sudden showers which come up so unexpectedly at the south. We once pa.s.sed through a tornado in Louisiana, which came in a shower that gathered upon a blue sky in less than half an hour. It tore up tall trees as though they had been cornstalks, and rolled up the Mississippi so that it looked like a boiling caldron. In half an hour more the sun was s.h.i.+ning gayly on the scene of devastation, as though Nature had no terrors in her laboratory of forces.

In an hour after the exciting scene on the lake, the Isabel had a gentle breeze and fair weather. Cyd still maintained his position on the forecastle, and Lily once more ventured into the standing room. Dan gave her a minute account of the affray with the slave-hunters, and concluded by stating his belief that all three of them had been drowned in the lake.

Lily shuddered at the thought; for the taking of a human life, even in defence of the freedom which she valued more highly than life itself, seemed a terrible thing to her gentle heart.

”Perhaps they are not dead,” said she.

”Perhaps not; but it is hardly possible that they could have swum ash.o.r.e. We were at least three miles from the land, and their boat was all stove to pieces.”

”Dey might hab hold on to de boat,” suggested Quin.

”But there was an awful sea for a few moments. Why, the water dashed clean over our decks,” added Dan. ”One of them may have saved himself, but I am confident the other two must have been lost.”

”Hi, Dan!” shouted Cyd, from his position at the heel of the bowsprit.