"'Sam! Halloo, Sam!' said Andy. 'Mas'r wants you to cotch Bill and Jerry.'
"'High! what's afoot now?' said Sam.
"'Why I s'pose you don't know that Lizy's cut stick, and clared out, with her young un?'
"'You teach your granny!' replied Sam, with infinite contempt; 'knowed it a heap sooner than you did. This nigger a'n't so green, now.'
"'Wal, anyhow, Mas'r wants Bill and Jerry geared right up; and you and I's to go with Mas'r Haley, to look arter her,' said Andy.
"Sam, who had just been contriving how he could make himself of importance on the plantation, exclaimed: 'Good, now! dat's de time o' day! It's Sam dat's called for in dese yere times. He's de nigger. Mas'r'll see what Sam can do!'
"'Ah, you'd better think twice,' said Andy; 'for Missis don't want her cotched, and she'll be in yer wool.'
"'High! how you know dat?' said Sam, opening his eyes.
"'Heard her say so, my own self, dis blessed mornin', when I bring in Mas'r's shaving-water. She sent me to see why Lizy didn't come to dress her; and when I telled her she was off, she jes ris up, and ses she, "The Lord be praised!" Mas'r he seemed rael mad; and ses he, "Wife, you talk like a fool." But, Lor! she'll bring him to. I knows well enough how that'll be. It's allers best to stand Missis's side the fence, now I tell yer,' said Andy.
"Sam scratched his woolly pate, and gave a hitch to his pantaloons, as he had a habit of doing when his mind was perplexed. 'Der a'n't never no sayin' 'bout no kind o' thing in dis yere world,' said he at last. 'Now I'd a said sartin that Missis would a scoured the varsal world after Lizy.'