he kept his eyes and his ears wide open ready to seize upon the desired opportunity to carry out his great resolution the season most favorable for shooting had arrived and was in expectation that colonel would order the preparations to be made for his annual excursion either to the rivers above or the lakes below in search of game upon this event was based his hope of making his escape the smiling month of may was ushered in with by watch and wait or its pleasant days and about a fortnight after his had the satisfaction of hearing the subject the excursion was a matter of considerable importance for the was generally absent two or three weeks during which time he and his party lived on board of the large sail boat as there were no guests at the people wondered who were to be the colonel s companions we will leave on wednesday said the to his son are you going alone father certainly not you may go with me for one and you may take with you and shall go to do the heavy work who else there is room enough in the cabin for four there is no one else to go so we shall have the more room ourselves replied the as he walked away master announced to and that they were to attend the party and both expressed their satisfaction at the privilege accorded to them by the young they were directed to put the which was the name of the boat in good order for the trip she had to be thoroughly washed and dried that she might be in readiness to receive her stores on the following day which was tuesday and they hastened off to perform their task the was about twenty five feet long she was very broad on the beam and drew but very little water for a boat of her size she was provided with a centre board and worked admirably on the wind she had been built expressly for the shallow waters of the lower lakes she was and could carry a heavy press of sail which the light winds of these inland lakes rendered necessary the cabin was twelve feet long and nine feet wide at the part and contained four the trunk which was elevated about fifteen inches above the deck afforded a height of about five feet beneath the which extended beneath the main deck answered for beds by night and by day the standing room or open space the cabin was eight feet long with seats on three by watch and wait or sides forward of the cabin there was a four feet long in which the fuel and used for cooking were kept under the cabin table and under the and seats in the standing room � were a plenty of for the reception of provisions and other articles required on board we are thus particular in describing the because and his friends were destined to make their home on board of her for some time they might have found many a worse dwelling place on shore for the boat had ample for them the cabin was fitted and furnished and there was every thing on board which could be needed to make them comfortable while and were cleaning the the former boldly announced his purpose to run away and invited his friend to make one of the party dis go for sure roared displaying his wealth of and dropping his brush with amazement at the magnificence of the idea hush you will tell every one on the place by the young no i won t tell no one ob it s de be careful then and don t speak so loud but where you demanded i m going into the swamp and shall stay there till master thinks we are all dead then i m going to run down to the sea and get on board of some vessel that will carry us to the free states this prospect was rather too much for the simple comprehension of the negro boy and he only rolled the of his eyes in mute astonishment i ve studied it all out and i know where to go and how to get there yes you knows ting and i ll you to de end ob de world � s de added and lily will go with tis lily yes now keep your mouth shut and don t look any different from what you always do � yes when you to go to morrow night every thing will be put on by watch and wait oe board ready for the colonel to start early the next morning just as soon as all the in the house have gone to bed we will meet here and go on board den i shall be a free yes if we get off and the plan works well but you must be very careful you kin trust dis you knows you kin i do or i should not have made you my companion his friend very in the duties he was to discharge in connection with the he had every confidence in s discretion and knew that he would rather die than betray him the was carefully cleaned and left to dry in the bright sunshine of a clear day the next morning the steward of the plantation laid out the stores which were to go on board and as their was a nice matter was charged with this duty he was assisted by s boat crew who conveyed the articles on board and before sunset the boat was by the young ready for lier every was filled with meat vegetables fruits cakes � with every thing which could contribute to the comfort or luxury of the there were two barrels of water in the standing room and the choice pieces of the and his son were in the cabin 