'I thought the bloodhounds would track a man anywhere.'
'Not t'ru de water, massa; dey lose de scent in de swamp.'
'But how can a negro live there,—how get food?'
'De darkies work dar and dey take 'em nuff.'
'Then the other negroes often know where the runaways are; don't they sometimes betray them?'
'Neber, massa; a darky neber tells on anoder. De Cunnel had a boy in dat swamp once, good many years.'
'Is it possible? Did he come back?'
'No, he died dar. Sum ob de hands found him dead one mornin' in de hut whar he lib'd, and dey buried him dar.'
'Why did Sam run away?'
''Cause de Oberseer flog him. He use him bery hard, massa.'