"The same. He is the most hardened villain in the world,--so different from my poor master, who was a good man, and loved even his slaves! This man would make it appear that my mistress is not the legitimate child of her father, but the daughter of a quadroon girl, whom he formerly owned. He has forged a will to obtain his own purposes, and deprived poor mistress of her natural rights. But, on the night when the villany was perpetrated, I managed to obtain the true will, and to make my escape,--and a very narrow escape it was, for I was shot at and obliged to jump into the river to save my life. They think the shot killed me; but I shall yet expose their villany--" "Good gracious, I hope so!" exclaimed Uncle Nathan, whose sympathies wore awakened by the brief narrative of the mulatto. "Now, it is scarcely prudent for me to retain possession of this will. I may be discovered, or drowned, or shot; and then my poor mistress would never be restored." "True," replied Uncle Nathan, appreciating his companion's reasoning, and admiring his warm devotion to his mistress. "I wish to place the will in the keeping of some trusty person, who will guard it as his own life,--who will deem no sacrifice too great to relieve the distressed, and foil the wicked," said Hatchie, earnestly. "I will do the best I can." "Before I intrust it to you, I must feel that you will not only be discreet, but that you will labor to foil this wicked plot." "I will do everything I can," replied Uncle Nathan, warmly, for his heart was touched at the wrongs of Emily. "Then here is the will," said Hatchie, handing him the packet, which he had taken the precaution to envelop in oil-cloth. "Remember how much depends upon your caution and fidelity. God forgive me, if I have done wrong in giving it to you." "You may depend upon me. I will take good care of the document. But shan't I say anything to the lady about it?" "Assure her, if you can without exposing yourself, that the will is safe. It will give joy to her heart to know that she has the means of restoration to her home and name." "I will see everything done about right; and I hope soon to meet you in the land of liberty." "I shall never leave my mistress. I have been near her from her birth, and, though only a slave, I feel that I was sent into the world for no other purpose than to protect and serve her. Liberty away from her has no charms for me." "Goodness!" ejaculated Uncle Nathan; "I never should have thought it!" Hatchie's devotion to his mistress, so eloquently expressed, jostled rather rudely the Northerner's prejudices concerning the treatment of slaves. The conversation was here interrupted by three taps on the deck above them, produced by the brogan of Pat Fegan. Hatchie recognized the preconcerted signal, and, abruptly terminating his remarks, he leaped into the box, drew on the lid, and left Uncle Nathan to find his way out as best he could.