"I hears you, suh; an' b'lieves you," replied the Rev. Jeremiah with great ceremony.
"You have seen white men from a distance coming and going. Where did they go?"
"Dey went ter Clopton's, suh; right dar an' nowhars else. I seed um, suh, wid my own eyes."
"You don't know what they came for. Well, I will tell you: they came here to devise some plan by which they can deprive the niggeroes of the right to vote. Now, what do you suppose would be the simplest way to do this?" The Rev. Jeremiah made no reply. He was evidently waiting in awe to hear what the plan was. "You don't know," the first speaker went on to say; "well, I will tell you. They propose to re-enslave the coloured people. They propose to take the ballots out of their hands and put in their place, the hoe and the plough-handles. They propose to deprive you of the freedom bestowed upon you by the martyr President."
"You don't tell me, suh! Well, well!"
"Yes, that is their object, and they will undoubtedly succeed if your people do not organise, and stand together, and give their support to the Republican Party."
"I has b'longed ter de Erpublican Party, suh, sense fust I heard de name."
"We meet to-night in the school-house. Bring only a few—men whom you can trust, and the older they are the better."
"I ain't so right down suttin and sho' 'bout dat, suh. Some er de ol' ones is mighty sot in der ways; dey ain't got de l'arnin', suh, an' dey dunner what's good fer 'm. But I'll pick out some, suh; I'll try fer ter fetch de ones what'll do us de mos' good."
"Very well, Mr. Tommerlin; the old school-house is the place, and there'll be no lights that can be seen from the outside. Rap three times slowly, and twice quickly—so. The password is——"