"O, mammy, where is Sorrel Top?" said she. "Sorrel Top, why she's picking grapes for that are jelly you wanted made. I'm going to help her when I git rested, and slick up a leetle." "No, mammy, you must help me. Bloody Jim is around here somewhere, and he's going to try to kill us all and burn the house. I've just sent daddy for father, and you had better call Sorrel Top. I'll get my pistols, and we'll secure the house." "O, laws a mercy! how did you find it out, honey?" "Wait 'till we are safe and I'll tell you." "O, honey, did you tell daddy?" "No." "O, I'm awful glad, he'd be so flustrated you know." "Yes, I know; now don't you get flustrated, and let it out quite yet, you had better tell Sorrel Top, though." Sorrel Top was duly informed, and they all set to work, and had made what arrangements for their safety they could, when daddy returned. "'Tween you and me, Honey, the Doctor can't come." Little Wolf knew, by the expression on the old servant's face, why her father could not come, and she went up close to him, and whispered, "Is he very bad, daddy?" "O yes, pet, 'tween you and me, he's dead drunk." A shiver ran through the daughter at this intelligence, and she now felt strong suspicions that Hank Glutter was implicated in her enemy's plot, and the condition of her father indicated that the crisis was near at hand. "Well, daddy, cannot you get him some way?" she enquired, after a moment's thought, "can't you get some of the men to help you?" "There ain't nobody there but Hank Glutter." "Well, won't he assist you?" "Bless your heart, honey, no--he ordered me off when I was there just now, and said things it wouldn't do for you to hear, no how." "If you should write him a little billet and ask him, may be he would," suggested mammy. The note was speedily dispatched, and ran thus:-- "Will Mr. Glutter do Miss DeWolf the favor to assist the bearer, in bringing her father home." "Now, honey, 'tween you and me," said daddy, who soon after returned in high displeasure, "that Hank Glutter can lie as fast as a hoss can trot. He turned red clar up to his har, when he read your billet, and sez he to me, 'go tell Miss DeWolf that I've sprained my right arm, and can't lift a pound.'" "The Lord be praised, there's a steamer coming," exclaimed Little Wolf. All eyes were instantly turned in the direction of the river, and several miles away, the smoke bursting from the tall pipes of a steamboat, and curling towards the clouds, was distinctly visible. "Now, daddy, you must take that boat and carry a letter to--to Mr. Sherman, and we'll see if we can't outwit Mr. Glutter." "O, but, honey, 'tween you and me, them 'taters and things must be got in. What if we should have a frost to-night, and spile 'em. Hank will send the Doctor home when it's time to lock up, and it don't make much difference whether he's here or there."