to the space in the log, from which he had scratched out the rotten fragments, as snugly as if he were a part of it. Thus, with his head toward the fire, looking within—his body hidden from those within by the undecayed portions of the timber, with Mimy on his side of the fire-place, squat upon the hearth, and busy with the _hominy_ pot, Brough might carry on the most interesting conversation in the world, in whispers, and occasionally be fed from the spoon of his spouse, or drink from the calabash, without any innocent person suspecting his propinquity. We will suppose him thus quietly ensconced, his old woman beside him, and deeply buried in the domestic histories which he came to hear. We must suppose all the preliminaries to be dispatched already, which, in the case of an African _dramatis personæ_, are usually wonderfully minute and copious. “And dis nigger, Tory, he’s maussa yer for true?” “I tell you, Brough, he’s desp’r’t bad! He tak’ ebbry ting for he’sef! He sway (swears) ebbry ting for him—we nigger, de plantation, boss, hog, hominy; and ef young misses no marry um—you yeddy? (hear)—he will hang de maussa up to de sapling, same as you hang scarecrow in de cornfiel’!” Brough groaned in the bitterness of his spirit. “Wha’ for do, Brough?” “Who gwine say? I ’spec he mus fight for um yet. Mass Dick no chicken! He gwine fight like de debbil, soon he get strong, ’fore dis ting gwine happen. He hab sodger, and more for come. Parson ’Lijah gwine fight too—and dis nigger’s gwine fight, sooner dan dis tory ride, whip and spur, ober we plantation.” “Why, wha’ you tink dese tory say to me, Brough?” “Wha’ he say, woman?” “He say he gwine gib me hundred lash ef I no get he breckkus (breakfast) by day peep in de morning!” “De tory wha’ put hick’ry ’pon your back, chicken, he hab answer to Brough.” “You will fight for me, Brough?” “Wid gun and bagnet, my chicken.” “Ah, I blieb you, Brough; you was always lub me wid you’ sperrit!” “Enty you blieb? You will see some day! You got ’noder piece of bacon in de pot, Mimy? Dis hom’ny ’mos’ too dry in de t’roat.” “Leetle piece.” “Gi’ me.”