"He says he's white, but they think it's goin' to be easy hokey-pokey to pass him off for a nigger."
Her eyes soon recognized the speaker as he said, "By smoke! miss, you're not much like a Johnson. I reckon you're Huldy."
"Yes, and you, sir?"
"I was Jimmy Phœbus before I was a nigger."
The girl went rapidly up to him, and put her arms around him.
"Thank God!" she said, "you are not dead. Levin Dennis, my dear friend, wept to think you were at the river bottom. But, quick, sir; I may be caught here. Are you all true to each other?"
"Yes, the traitor's cut his wizzen. Speak out, Huldy!"
"I heard Patty Cannon mutter that she was going to set her black man free to kidnap for her. Hark! I must fly."
Hulda descended the ladder in time to surprise Cy James coming up. He bent his goose neck down as he leaned his hands upon his knees, and, looking up into her face, ejaculated,
"Hokey-pokey! By smoke! And Pangymonum, too."