“Don’t touch that,” shouted a hoarse voice; and he felt the muzzle of a pistol thrust into his breast.

“None of that, Seth,” cried another; and the speaker laid hold of his comrade’s arm.  “We must have no shooting, you know.”

Arthur had thrown off the boathook, but some half-dozen armed men had already leaped into the frail vessel, crowding it to such an extent that a struggle, even had it not been madness against such odds, would have occasioned great personal danger to Oriana.  Both Arthur and Harold seemed instinctively to comprehend this, and therefore offered no opposition.  Their boat was taken in tow, and in a few moments the entire party, with one exception, were landed upon the adjacent bank.  That exception was little Phil.  In the confusion that ensued upon the collision of the two boats, the lad had quietly slipped overboard, and swam ground to the stern where his mistress sat.  “Miss Orany, hist!  Miss Orany!”

The bewildered girl turned and beheld the black face peering over the gunwale.

“Miss Orany, here I is.  O Lor’!  Miss Orany, what we gwine to do?”

She bowed her head toward him and whispered hurriedly, but calmly: 

“Mind what I tell you, Phil.  You watch where they take us to, and then run home and tell Master Beverly.  Do you understand me, Phil?”

“Yes, I does, Miss Orany;” and the little fellow struck out silently for the shore, and crept among the bushes.

Oriana betrayed no sign, of fear as she stood with her two companions on the bank a few paces from their captors.  The latter, in a low but earnest tone, were disputing with one who seemed to act as their leader.

“You didn’t tell us nothing about the lady,” said a brawny, rugged-looking fellow, angrily.  “Now, look here, Seth Rawbon, this ain’t a goin’ to do.  I’d cut your heart out, before I’d let any harm come to Squire Weems’s sister.”

“You lied to us, you long-headed Yankee turncoat,” muttered another.  “What in thunder do you mean bringing us down here for kidnapping a lady?”

“Ain’t I worried about it as much as you?” answered Rawbon.  “Can’t you understand it’s all a mistake?”

“Well, now, you go and apologize to Miss Weems and fix matters, d’ye hear?”

“But what can we do?”

“Do?  Undo what you’ve done, and show her back into the boat.”

“But the two abo”—­

“Damn them and you along with ’em!  Come, boys, don’t let’s keep the lady waiting thar.”

The party approached their prisoners, and one among them, hat in hand, respectfully addressed Oriana.

“Miss Weems, we’re plaguy sorry this should ’a happened.  It’s a mistake and none of our fault.  Your boat’s down thar and yer shan’t be merlested.”

“Am I free to go?” asked Oriana, calmly.

“Free as air, Miss Weems.”

“With my companions?”

“No, they remain with us,” said Rawbon.