Watch and Wait; or, The Young FugitivesOptic, Oliver
General
Watch and Wait; or, The Young Fugitives
Optic, Oliver
Fugitive slaves -- Juvenile fiction
"You seem to think that I want to make you do more than your share."
"No, sar! I's tink you do more'n your share, Dan. Cyd ain't notin but a
nigger, and you's almos' a gen'leman."
"Come, come, Cyd. I shall be angry if you talk in that way. I am just
the same as the rest of you."
"Hossifus! Wha--wha--wha----"
"That'll do, Cyd."
"You's got all de brains, and knows jes what to do and where to go.
Gossifus! Wha--wha--what become ob us widout Dan?"
"Dat's jus what I tinks," added Quin. "You does de tinkin, and we does
de wuck."
"I shall do my part of the work. Now listen to me, and I will tell you
how I think the work ought to be divided. We'll go to bed at nine
o'clock, and turn out at five."
"Dem's um," nodded Cyd.
"I will take the first watch to-night, till one o'clock, and Cyd the
second, till five in the morning."
"But whar's my watch?" demanded Quin.
"At five o'clock you shall turn out and get breakfast. To-morrow night
it shall be your first watch, and my second, and Cyd shall get breakfast
the next morning. Then Cyd shall have the first watch the third night,
and Quin the second, and I will get breakfast. That makes a fair
division, I think."
"Dat's all right," added Quin.
"Those who sleep but four hours in the night can sleep during the day,
if they wish."
"Yes, when de wuck's done," said Quin.
"We shall not have much work to do after we get settled," replied Dan.
"All that's very fine," added Lily, who had been listening to the
arrangement; "but I shall not consent to it. I intend to get breakfast
myself."
"No, Lily," remonstrated Dan. "If you do all the cooking, you will have
to work harder than any of the boys. One of us will do the heavy work on
deck, and you shall attend to the table. I am willing you should do your
share of the work, if you insist upon it, but not more than your share.
We shall have nothing to do but eat and sleep when we get the boat in
position."
Lily insisted for some time, but was forced to yield the point at last;
for neither Dan nor his companions would consent to her proposition. At
nine o'clock Lily went to her cabin, and Quin and Cyd were soon sound
asleep in their bunks. At one o'clock Cyd was called, and Dan gave him
his watch, that he might know when to call Quin.
It was a difficult task for the sentinel to keep awake; but I believe he
was faithful this time in the discharge of his important duty. At five
Quin was called, and Cyd immediately proceeded to make up for lost
time.
CHAPTER XVII.
CYD HAS A BAD FIT.
Cyd was roused from his slumbers at nine o'clock to assist in working
the Isabel farther into the swamp, and in the course of the day she was
safely moored in her permanent position. The quick eye of Dan had
detected the admirable fitness of this place both for concealment and
defence. It was not more than three miles from the lake.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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