Moreover she knew that because of their poverty she would have to secure from her ground substantial returns, and that her gardening must be no amateur trifling, but earnest work. Therefore, having found a seat in the saloon of the boat, she drew out of her leather bag one of her garden-books and some agricultural papers, and commenced studying over for the twentieth time the labors proper for April. After reading a while, she leaned back and closed her eyes and tried to form such crude plans as were possible in her inexperience and her ignorance of a place that she had not even seen. Opening her eyes suddenly she saw old Hannibal sitting near and regarding her wistfully. "You are a foolish old fellow to stay with us," she said to him. "You could have obtained plenty of nice places in the city. What made you do it?" "I'se couldn't gib any good reason to de world, Miss Edie, but de one I hab kinder satisfies my ole black heart." "Your heart isn't black, Hannibal." "How you know dat?" he asked quickly. "Because I've seen it often and often. Sometimes I think it is whiter than mine. I now and then feel so desperate and wicked, that I am afraid of myself." "Dere now, you'se worried and worn-out and you tinks dat's bein' wicked." "No. I'm satisfied it is something worse than that. I wonder if God does care about people who are in trouble, I mean practically, so as to help them any?" "Well, I specs he does," said Hannibal vaguely. "But den dere's so many in trouble dat I'm afeard some hab to kinder look after demselves." Then as if a bright thought struck him, he added, "I specs he sorter lumps 'em jes as Massa Allen did when he said he was sorry for de people burned up in Chicago. He sent 'em a big lot ob money and den seemed to forget all about 'em." Hannibal had never given much attention to religion, and perhaps was not the best authority that Edith could have consulted. But his conclusion seemed to secure her consent, for she leaned back wearily and again closed her eyes, saying: "Yes, we are mere human atoms, lost sight of in the multitude." Soon her deep regular breathing showed that she was asleep, and Hannibal muttered softly: "Bress de child, dat will do her a heap more good dan askin' dem deep questions," and he watched beside her like a large faithful Newfoundland dog. At last he touched her elbow and said, "We get off at de next landin', and I guess we mus' be pretty nigh dere." Edith started up much refreshed and asked, "What sort of an evening is it?" "Well, I'se sorry to say it's rainin' hard and berry dark."