A TALE OF WRONG. 103 



neighbouring swamps and brakes facilitating his 

 design. A few nights afterwards he had again 

 the joy of embracing his beloved wife — the next 

 day they wandered together. 



Through his caution and unwearied assiduity, 

 he succeeded in obtaining one after another the 

 children, till at length all the cherished objects 

 of his affection were gathered, like a tender 

 brood, beneath the sheltering wings of the bird, 

 under his care. But with the joy of this re- 

 newed protection was mingled a painful sense of 

 responsibility, wandering in dreary wilds, where 

 scarcely subsistence for one, much less for five 

 human beings could be found. He was tor- 

 mented, moreover, by dread of seizure, for he 

 well knew that since his disappearance the for- 

 est had been daily ransacked by armed pursuers. 

 Yet driven by extreme privation he was com- 

 pelled to brave discovery in search of a pre- 

 carious provision of wild fruits and game. On 

 one of these excursions, as was said, he had been 

 surprised by Audubon. After thus relating to 

 him their secret, both, with tears in their eyes, 

 implored his exertions on behalf of them and 

 their children, who sweetly slumbering, ap- 

 pealed by their helplessness and innocence no 

 less powerfully for protection. 



Most cordially Audubon promised them all 

 the assistance in his power. On the following 



