within forty-eight hours I had a strong presentiment that 'twould
be too late.

I sank at last into a sleep of sheer exhaustion. When I awoke, day
had dawned, and with the return to consciousness there came a
sudden recollection of something told me by Uncle Moses--something
that explained the fact that only two horsemen had ridden in
pursuit of us. All the horses of the estate had been employed in
conveying sugar to Dry Harbor. They had been gone a day; when would
they return?

I sprang up in haste to get an answer to this question; for on it
depended the chances of a plot which had flashed upon my mind.
Uncle Moses told me that, if the usual course were followed, the
wagons would return on Friday, either empty, or with loads of salt
fish, which formed the staple of the negro's food. I asked what men
would accompany the convoy, and learned that the wagoners were
negroes, and that one or two white men would be in charge.

This information threw a ray of hope upon my dark forebodings. If
we could but win to a position where the returning convoy might be
intercepted, I made no doubt we could overpower the white
men--overseers of the plantations; as to the negro drivers, I held
them of little account. There was one possible danger: that the
customary escort might be augmented by some of Vetch's buccaneers.
But I saw no likelihood of this, for however careful Vetch might be
in his watch over Mistress Lucy, he would have no reason to be
specially vigilant over the conduct of the ordinary operations of
the estate.