“Get under the bed, quick, and keep perfectly still,” said the woman; a command which was obeyed without questioning. Catching up her baby, the woman gave it a tumble which set it to crying like mad. Just then the master thrust his head in at the door and inquired, “Have you seen a young nigger come in here?” “Hush h-u!” “Wah ka-wa!” “What did!” “Wha-ka wa wa!” “hush there—did you say?” “Ka-wha wa wah.” “I say did”—“ka wha ka wha wa!” “did you see a young nigger come in here?” “We wha ke wah wa!” “hush-t-h-e-re!”—“husband is”—“we wa wah!”—“at the barn!”—“we wa ah!”—“he can tell you!”—“wa we wah ke wha!” and the door was slammed to by the disgusted Southeron. Whilst the trio were hastening to the barn, Charley, in obedience to the woman’s directions, hastily ascended a ladder in the corner of the room, which he drew up, and placed a board in such a way as to obliterate all appearance of an opening in the floor. The conference at the barn was short, and away went the riders up the road in hot pursuit of a mythical nigger the man at the barn had seen running in that direction not half an hour before. In a few minutes the husband returned to the house, milk pail in hand, but entirely ignorant of what had transpired within. “What about the boy, wife, those men were enquiring about? I supposed they were in pursuit of some one, so I sent them up the road after an imaginary man,” he said. “Well, I don’t know anything about your imaginary man, but I know about the boy,” replied the wife. “Well, where is he?” “He went from under my bed up the ladder whilst the men were going for you. Baby helped the matter mightily. Now you must carry the poor fellow something to eat.” As soon as it was deemed safe, the ladder was let down, and Charley was supplied with a hearty breakfast, and then bidden to make himself comfortable for the day, a thing he was not slow to do, as he had slept little since his flight began. When evening came, he was called down, and after a bountiful supper, which was dispatched in silence, he was taken to the road where three horses were standing. On one of these a man was already seated; the second Charley was bidden to mount, and into the saddle of the third his kind host vaulted. Moving around the town, they came to a road leading northward, Charley’s feelings alternately ebbing and flowing between fear and hope, for, notwithstanding the kindness of his host and hostess, he could but fear that he was to be given up for the $500.