All the wood-choppers, with the exception of the one who had taken it upon himself to "put the hoss under kiver," had followed Jeff and Rodney into the cabin, and they were profoundly astonished by the last words that fell from the boy's lips. It was a matter of history that was quite new to them. "Where be them slaves now?" asked Jeff. "They were given their freedom." "Well, I always knowed them Yankees was fules, but I don't for the life of me see what they done that fur." "Oh, it wasn't because they were sorry for the negro," exclaimed Rodney. "It was because they couldn't use him. They would have slaves to-day if they could make a dollar by it. You let the Yanks alone for that. Why, when these troubles began, we didn't have percussion caps enough to fight a battle with, and Captain Semmes went up North and bought a big supply; and the men of whom he bought them knew what he was going to do with them, and offered to make contracts with him to send him all he wanted and could pay for." "What's the reason they couldn't use the niggers up there?" asked one of the woodchoppers. "Because their land is mostly mountains and rocks, and they can't work it on as a big a scale as we do," replied Rodney, trying to use language that his ignorant auditors could readily understand. "They gain their living by catching codfish and herring, and by making things, such as shoes for the niggers, and cloth and axes and machinery and--Oh, everything. And the blacks couldn't do that sort of work so that their owners could make anything out of them, and that's the reason they let them go free." "And because they can't use the niggers do they say that we-uns musn't use 'em nuther?" demanded Jeff, angrily. "That's it exactly," said Rodney. "They are dogs in the manger. They can't eat the hay themselves and they won't let the critters eat it." Although the wood-choppers didn't quite understand this, it was plain enough to the Barrington boy that they were impressed by his words. "And what are we-uns going to do about it?" inquired Jeff, after a little pause. "We're going to dissolve partnership with them--break up the firm and go into business for ourselves," replied Rodney, throwing so much enthusiasm into his words that he succeeded in creating some excitement among the wood-choppers. One, in particular, was so deeply interested that he pulled his nail keg close in front of the speaker; but whether he was listening to his words, or making a mental calculation of the value of his gold watch chain, Rodney did not think to inquire. "And do they say that we-uns mustn't do it?" Jeff demanded.