'Oh yas, massa; I seed 'em go off on de boat to Charles'n most two weeks ago. Dey don't mean to cum back till tings am more settled; dey'm 'fraid to stay dar.'
'I should think it wouldn't be safe for even the Colonel there, if a disturbance broke out among the slaves.'
''Twouldn't be safe den anywhar, sar; but de Cunnel am berry brave man. He'm better dan twenty of his niggas.'
'Why better than twenty of his niggers?'
''Cause dem ugly niggas am gin'rally cowards. De darky dat is quiet, 'spectful, and does his duty, am de brave sort; dey'll fight, massa, till dey'm cut down.'
We had here reached a turn in the road, and passing it, came suddenly upon a coach, attached to which were a pair of magnificent grays, driven by a darky in livery.
'Hallo dar!' said Scipio to the driver, as we came nearly abreast of the carriage. 'Am you Cunnel J——'s man?'
'Yas, I is dat,' replied the darky.
At this moment a woolley head, which I recognized at once as that of the Colonel's man 'Jim,' was thrust out of the window of the vehicle.
'Hallo, Jim,' I said. 'How do you do? I'm glad to see you.'