"Hallo! In the boat there!" shouted a man of the pursuing party.
The slave-hunters were now within less than a quarter of a mile of the Isabel, for they had been gaining upon her by a vigorous use of their oars. The boat which contained them was now exactly astern of the schooner.
"Hallo!" replied Dan, who, knowing that the men could not talk and row to the best advantage, was quite willing to converse with them.
"What boat's that?" shouted the spokesman of the slave-hunters.
"Captain Barrett's," replied Dan, whose virtue was not sufficiently developed to induce him to tell the truth in his present perilous situation.
"Where from?"
"Down below Brashear," answered Dan, who had previously made up his mind what to say if any conversation with the pursuers should become necessary.
"What ye doin up here?"
"Came up with a party."
"Seen ary runaway nigger in the water?"