'Oh, he is sure to come, then,' said Eva, 'I am so glad.'
'I wanted to send a letter, you see, to let 'em know where I was, and tell poor Chloe that I was well off, 'cause she felt so dreadful, poor soul.'
'I say, Tom,' said Mr. St. Clare, coming in at the door at this minute.
Tom and Eva both started.
'What's this?' Mr. St. Clare went on, coming up and looking at the slate.
'Oh, it's Tom's letter. I'm helping him to write it,' said Eva. 'Isn't it nice?'
'I wouldn't discourage either of you,' said her father; 'but I rather think, Tom, you had better let me write your letter for you. I'll do it when I come home from my ride.'
'It is very important that he should write,' said Eva, 'because his mistress is going to send money to buy him back again, you know, papa. He told me they had said so.'
Mr. St. Clare thought in his heart that very likely this meant nothing. He thought it was only one of these things which good-natured people said to their slaves to comfort them when they were taken away from their dear ones to be sold. He did not really believe Mrs. Shelby meant to buy Tom back again. However, he did not say so out loud, but just told Tom to get the horses ready for a ride.
That evening the letter was written, and Uncle Tom carried it joyfully to the post-office.