"Come, bear a hand, Cyd," said the leader, in a low but sharp tone.
"What am I to bear a hand to?" demanded Cyd.
"Jump in quick, and paddle off to the Isabel."
"Golly! Is dis chile got to row de boat? Says I, 'Cyd,' says I, 'you's a free nigger, and you got nuffin to do but——'"
"Take your paddle quick, or I will leave you here!" interposed Dandy.
Cyd obeyed this time. His ideas of freedom were, no doubt, derived from his master and the other white people at Redlawn, who had nothing to do but amuse themselves and order the negroes round the place. They were very crude ideas, and he was yet to learn that freedom did not mean idleness. He paddled the bateau off to the sail-boat, and Lily was put on board.
"Now, haul the Edith alongside," said the skipper, as he proceeded to unloose the sails.
"De Edif!" exclaimed Cyd. "Wha—wha—what you gwine to do wid de Edif?"
"Haul her alongside!" replied Dandy, sharply. "If you spend the night in talking, we shall not get off till morning."
"Hossifus!" ejaculated Cyd, whose vocabulary being rather limited, he was under the necessity of coining a word occasionally, when he felt the need of a strong expression. "Dis nigger tink he was free, but it's Do dis, and Do dat. Hossifus; dis chile tink he's only got a new massa—dat's all, for sartin."