There was something honest and straightforward about the man's manner and speech which pleased me; and I remarked also, that the negroes whom he met upon the road showed him not only that respect which might proceed from fear of his authority, but a degree of affectionate familiarity, which could only be generated by kindness on his part. One big fellow, in a light cotton jacket, ran along by the side of his horse for a quarter of a mile, with his hand upon the mane, talking to him about things he wanted done; and the women laughed and showed their white teeth, while they bobbed a courtesy, as if they were glad, rather than afraid, to see him. Billy Byles, to whom all such matters of Virginia detail were too familiar to be of any interest, whistled absently as we walked along; and it was only when my questions turned towards the fate of Bessy Davenport that he woke up to some degree of attention. "I have heard nothing of the young lady myself, sir," said the overseer; "but as for that matter, we'll soon get information. She is very much beloved about all this part of the country; and whoever these black devils hurt, I hardly think they would venture to hurt her." "I fear you calculate too much upon their forbearance," I said. "Have you not heard how indiscriminate their rage has been?" "O yes, sir," he replied; "we have heard a great deal about them, although we have been rather out of their way here. Some passed over the corner of the plantation, I hear, last night, on their way towards the Swamp; but they seemed to be flying in great haste, so the men say, and did not stop to talk with any one." "They were too near the sheriff's quarters," said Billy Byles. "His people are all right and straight, are they not?" "O yes, Mr. Byles," answered the overseer. "Not one of them stirred, or wanted to stir. I sat up all night; but I might just as well have gone to bed; for master is always just with them. He always will have his work done; but he requires no more than is fair. He never punishes a mistake, or even a folly, though he may reprimand it; but he punishes a fault, if he sees it was intentional, always a little within the law, and never till he has considered the matter full four-and-twenty hours. It is those who have been too hard with them, or too soft with them, who are likely to suffer whenever there is a rising." Thus talking, we rode along, partly through woods, partly through open fields, till we reached a spot, where, built round a little sort of amphitheatre, sloping downwards towards pleasant meadows or savannah, beyond which again appeared a wide extent of ragged forest-ground, with glimpses of gleaming water here and there, appeared thirty or forty very neat and tidy cabins. At the doors of several were groups of women and children; and a number of men, with various implements of husbandry in their hands, appeared just setting out to their labour.