"All same's one eel--two hundred eel. Dey swim wid spears in mouf, and bow and arrow held high. Ha! ha! good soldier, ebery modder's son!"
"I'll tell you my plan," said Dick Temple. "Just loose off the boats, and make one bold dash for liberty."
"Ha! ha! sah!" cried Charlie. "I takes de liberty to laugh notwidstanding, foh true. You plenty much all dead men 'fore you get into de big ribber!"
"Well, hang it!" said Dick, "we're not going to stay here with the pretty prospect before us of being all scuppered and eaten. What say you, Roll?"
"I think," said Roland quietly, "that Charlie there has come prepared to speak, for his face is just beaming."
"See, sah," cried Charlie, evidently pleased, "you trust all to Charlie. He makee you free after dark. Down in de fo'est yondah dere am mebbe two, mebbee free hunder' sabages. Now dey not want to fight till de dark. Dey will fight all de same when de moon rise, and de rifle not muchee good. No hit in de dark, on'y jes' puff, puff.
"See," he continued, "de wind begin to blow a leetle. De wind get high byme by, den de sun go out, and Charlie he fiah de forest."
"Fire the forest, Charlie?"
"Notwidstanding," said Charlie grimly.
"When," he added, "you see de flame curl up, be all ready. Soon de flame he bus' highah and highah, and all by de ribber bank one big blaze."