"Take care that fellow doesn't play us a trick," observed Captain Norton.
"I feel pretty sure he is trustworthy. He merely feels in good spirits at riding, instead of having to use his legs," I replied.
We were obliged to stop to water the horses at a pool we had come to, for fear that there would be no water farther on. Soon after this we reached the borders of a wood, when, darkness coming on, we were compelled to halt for the night. We kept a double watch, two of us guarding the horses, while the other two slept. We allowed Pompey to sleep the whole time, as he required rest, and we thought it as well not to put implicit trust in him.
Next day our progress was slower, as we were unwilling to tire our horses, in the belief that they would be required before long to gallop as fast as their legs could carry them; besides which, the country was much more difficult to traverse than on the previous part of the journey, there being swamps, and woods, and sandy tracts, besides occasionally large pools, in our course. Pompey, who evidently knew the country well, assured us that we should reach Rochford's hiding-place by dark. Trusting to his assertion that there were no Indians in the neighbourhood, we ventured to dismount near a pool to kill a sufficient number of ducks to serve us for food. We had brought a supply of crackers with us, and a few other articles, so that we were not badly off. We had, however, once more to camp.
"Why, Pompey," I said, when we had unsaddled our horses, "I thought that we should have seen Mr. Rochford before this."
"Yee, massa; he no far off, dough," he answered. "Me think you better stop here, while Pompey go on an' tell him dat you come."
"Well, then, the sooner you let him know the better, as he will not wish to lose time," I replied.
I told Captain Norton what the black had said. "Let him go at once, but it will be as well for one of us to follow him and see what he is about," he said. "I am not quite satisfied with his manner; and yet I daresay he is honest enough."
Captain Norton did not object to my proposal to follow the black. As soon as he set off, I started close behind him, but at such a distance that he did not hear my footsteps. After making my way through the forest--not without considerable fear of losing him--I saw a bright light some way ahead, which I knew must proceed from a fire, and observed he was directing his course towards it. I therefore followed more leisurely, and at length caught sight of the fire, with several blacks near it, some apparently collecting wood, others cutting up a deer. I looked round for Rochford, but he was nowhere to be seen. Just then Pompey made his appearance among the people, and at once asked for "the white massa."