"Don't crow till you get out of the woods."
"Dar's de hard bread, and de salt, and de butter—golly, Massa Dan, you done do dat ting bery fine."
"Wait till we get back to the camp before you say any thing. We are not out of danger yet."
"But we's got de tings, Dan—de coffee, de sugar, and de salt."
"Take your oar now, and when we get back we'll have a jolly time."
"Bress de Lo'd, yes, Dan," said the delighted Quin, as he grasped the oar.
Prosperity makes men careless and reckless. The bateau was so crowded with stores that the rowers had but little space to use the oars. Their progress was necessarily very slow. They wanted to get back to the camp before night, and instead of keeping under the lee of the land, where the boat would not be likely to attract attention, they proceeded by the shortest route. When they reached the upper end of the lake, and were within five miles of the camp, they were startled to see a boat put out from one of the small islands, and pull towards them.
"De Lo'd sabe us!" exclaimed Quin, as he discovered the boat, which contained two white men.
"Take no notice of them, and don't speak a word," said Dan, in a low tone.
"De Lo'd hab us in his holy keeping!" ejaculated Quin, reverently, as he raised his eyes towards heaven.