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Show 180 TIOEBUUK. hn.f1 long been t1i. used nncl ha<l f:tllen into dec:1y. It \\":lH l>nil t of rounu logs \Vith the bark on them. The roo..f w:1s of c.ap-boan1 . The bark was hanging in bl:tc k f1akes ii·on1 the loS! , and the roof \vas all O'One ._, h ' except a icw of the rafter~ \Yhieh sprawled like FipiJer~:;' h'g·s in the 1noonlight overhead. The door had l>cen c:trrie l a\vay, and tho frmne in ·which it hau ~tooa, being rotten, cea eel to upholc1 the ends of the loo·R, nnd these, S\vaying dowrnvanl, left n. wide, rngged hole in the side of tho barn. The nssemblage w·ithin, 1nottlcu with patches of n1oonlight and of shado,v, ntnnberccl four per. ·ons. They \Yore squatted UJJOn the ground. 1\likc prcsidcc1 on a flat stone. The other three \Yore two slaves of 1\Ir. Eckles, named Jake and Cato, and a 1a YO of J\Irs. Fitzhugh, called Ilannibal. J akc and Cato hacl been like l\1ike for sorne tirne in the bush. Cato \vas a ti'1 niJ crouch'i n('f ' b fello,Y, but Jake was a stout, fierce savao·c-lookin('f ' b b negro, with the rnarks of severe trcattnent on his per- Bon. IIaunibal hacl been corrupted by the laxity of discipline at \Villow1xtnk, under the acln1iuistration of a \VOn1an, and roaming about in i lloncss, he had ihllen in \Yith tho other sable conspirators. "N O\V, boys," said President Mike, "\vc'. a gwine to hold a counc.il to sec \vhat \Ve's a gwine to do. 1Vh~t you all gwinc to do no'v ?" "I's a gwine to stop in do bush," re~pondccl Cato, "'en. c it's de nighest to git son1ethin' to cat from de t' other niggers." " I want to run oif to de Y ankces," said Ilannibal, "'c:-t~c it's de fnrdest oif to cotch us." "\Vhat's \VO dono got den1 gnns for?" inqnirecl Cato, "clat's \Vhat I \vant to know. I's afuard of guns. DaL's what," ROEllUCK. 181 "You're a fool," gro,vlocl J ako, "guns is to shoot." "Detn guns \von't shoot nobody," pronounced the president. "D y n1ust shoot Oincboc1y," ·:-tid Jake. " \Vho ?" cried all tho other~. " 01<.1 Eckles." " 0 Lord," cxclain1ed Cato, ·with a1ann, " of clar's shoot in', I's oil'.'' ' r·a .·hoot cvoryl>ocly," rejoined Jake, "let's raiso n11 de ni<Yo-ers." '' Ilo\v many kin you raise?" asked the president. "J...~ot ." " I las you axec1 'cn1 ?" "Y e , I done ax '01n." "Ilow 1nany of 'cn1 pron11. eel to raise 7" "Two; n1c and another feller." " vVhat did do re t of' ctn say '?" "I was afenn.l to ax 'om, afcard cley'll b1ab. But Yankee Campbell . ays there's lots of 'cn1 ready." . "Yankee Campbell is a liar," <leclurccl tho prcstdent. "Dn.t's jis ·what he i~," chin1cd in Cato and IIannibal. ~' Ilnl'ih! Son1cbodts a on1in'," \vhi::~perc<.l C:tlo. "Yon's a coward," sai<.l :Thlike, " go to lc door atHl \Y:ttch." 'Vhen this or lor \vas obeyed by the trcnl- blino- Cato tho pre ic1 e nt con t1. nue<1 : "Now' J·t(1 .-.. e ' you;~ a, fo,ol. yon's all fools. I 's got an de . cn::ie. Yon sec de rnoonshinc con1in' down through dcnl rafters. Dat's do ,vay de sen~e hines down through my he:H.l. I's clc ~Io~e~ to 1e :l<.l yon a1 1 0 ~l •v 'n <1e• hou,:s e 0 f. 1u.O lll1 : 1Pe. l\1.l ll d 1110. rl.,o - lllOlTO\V nuod lt Ill lc:td 0 you away to de land of promt• se. B n t first \Ve tnu.s t git so1ne money and things. \V e's a gwino to 'V ll- |