“Well done, Roux,” said Harrington, jumping up, and slapping the negro on the shoulder. “‘Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem,’” he continued, quoting the legend of the Massachusetts State-arms. “And you sought the tranquil rest of freedom with a carving-knife.” “Yes, quietem was the word, and you did quiet him,” chuckled the Captain, punning upon the Latin. “Sic semper tyrannis, is another bit of that lingo, an’ I guess old tyrannis _was_ rather sick when he got a touch of Roux’s carving-knife. By the great horn-spoon, that’s the richest thing I’ve heard lately!” “But what did the man do then, Mr. Roux?” asked Emily. “Ugh, says he, madam, and then he doubled himself up, an’ I run on,” replied Roux, simply. “Bimeby I come to the Red River, and I swum over. Then I run on agin, till I come to the Mississip, an’ hid in a wood-pile. Long toward mornin’ a flat boat came up the river, and hitched. Then I heerd the Captin say, says he, argufying with another man, and gittin’ mad with him, I’m Ohio, says he, and my men are Ohio, an’ we don’t care a damn for slavery, says he. Tother man went off, an’ I run out, an’ says, Captin, says I, I’ve run for my freedom, an’ won’t you take me with you, I says. Step right aboard, says he, an’ I’m damned if I don’t wish I’d a load more like you, says he.” “Bravo,” cried Muriel, clapping her hands. “Good for Ohio!” “Hooraw for Ohio!” piped Tugmutton, bouncing up, and flourishing the baby. “Chick-a-dee-dee, Brudder Baby, pretty little birdy,” he added, with a sudden change of key, wagging his bushy head and grinning blobber cheeks over the complacent infant. “Send him right down to Ohio. Kidnapper come to fetch Brudder Baby, won’t have no more chance than a bob-tail horse in fly-time when he gits to Ohio.” Alas! poor Tugmutton!—the dark days could come even to Ohio! Broad and strong and generous the hearts of Ohio, mighty in noble impulse, mighty in love and bravery, mighty in truth to liberty and tenderness to man. But the rampart of Ohio hearts prevailed not in the black hour when Margaret Garner, with the hell-dog statute and the hunters upon her, sublimely slew her children to save from slavery the souls Ohio could not save. “And so you escaped, Mr. Roux,” said Emily.