“LUCIEN SAW HIM, AND RUSHED TOWARD HIM.” 57 POOR OLD SUE TELLS HER STORY. 63 “MR. RABBIT SQUALL OUT, ‘COON DEAD!’” 71 “DEN DE FROGS DEY WENT TO WORK SHO NUFF.” 75 “THE OLD NEGRO PUT HIS HANDS TO HIS MOUTH AND CALLED.” 79 “SHE STOOD DAR A MINIT, DAT OLE BLACK CAT DID.” 87 “‘ALL READY, NOW. STICK YO’ HEAD IN.’” 105 “EN EVE’Y TIME HE SWUNG MR. BLACK SNAKE TUCK ’N LASH ’IM WID HE TAIL.” 115 “‘BRER TARRYPIN, HOW YOU FEEL?’” 127 BILLY BIG-EYE AND TOMMY LONG-WING. 159 SIMON SHAKES THE PEBBLES. 175 DADDY JAKE THE RUNAWAY DADDY JAKE, THE RUNAWAY CHAPTER I One fine day in September, in the year 1863, there was quite an uproar on the Gaston plantation, in Putnam County, in the State of Georgia. Uncle Jake, the carriage-driver, was missing. He was more than fifty years old, and it was the first time he had been missing since his mistress had been big enough to call him. But he was missing now. Here was his mistress waiting to order the carriage; here was his master fretting and fuming; and here were the two little children, Lucien and Lillian, crying because they didn’t know where Uncle Jake was—“Daddy Jake,” who had heretofore seemed always to be within sound of their voices, ready and anxious to amuse them in any and every way. Then came the news that Daddy Jake had actually run away. This was, indeed, astounding news, and although it was brought by the son of the overseer, none of the Gastons would believe it, least of all Lucien and Lillian. The son of the overseer also brought the further information that Daddy Jake, who had never had an angry word for anybody, had struck the overseer across the head with a hoe-handle, and had then taken to the woods. Dr. Gaston was very angry, indeed, and he told the overseer’s son that if anybody was to blame it was his father. Mrs. Gaston, with her eyes full of tears, agreed with her husband, and Lucien and Lillian, when they found that Daddy Jake was really gone, refused to be comforted. Everybody seemed to be dazed. As it was Saturday, and Saturday was a holiday, the negroes stood around their quarters in little groups discussing the wonderful event. Some of them went so far as to say that if Daddy Jake had taken to the woods it was time for the rest of them to follow suit; but this proposition was hooted down by the more sensible among them.