'Nuffin', massa,—only dey'd ruther stay har.'
'Come, Scip, you've played this game long enough. Tell me, now, what that look you gave each other when you shook hands meant.'
'What look, massa? Oh! I s'pose 'twar 'cause we'd both heerd ob each oder afore.'
''Twas more than that, Scip. Be frank; you know you can trust me.'
'Wal, den, massa,' he replied, adding, after a short pause, 'de ole woman called you a Yankee,—you can guess.'
'If I should guess,'twould be that it meant mischief.'
'It don't mean mischief, sar,' said the darky, with a tone and air that would not have disgraced a Cabinet officer; 'it mean only Right and Justice.'
'It means that there is some secret understanding between you.'
'I tole you, massa,' he replied, relapsing into his usual manner, 'dat de blacks am all Freemasons. I gabe Jim de grip, and he know'd me. He'd ha known my name ef you hadn't tole him.'
'Why would he have known your name?'