upon us."

"Noble girl," exclaimed George, "it is so, and we have no cause for
murmuring."

At this moment Zeb appeared. He was a short, dumpy, thick-set negro,
with a most luxuriant head of wool, a portion of which hung around his
head in small, close braids, resembling bits of decayed rope. His eyes
were large and protruding, and his face glistened like a mirror. He was
a genuine African. Some of their qualities in him were carried to the
extreme. Instead of being a coward, as is often the case with his
nation, he seemed never to know when there really was danger. He always
was reckless and careless, and seemed to escape by accident.

"Heigh! massa George, what's up?" he exclaimed, observing the solemn
appearance of the two before him.

"Nothing but what is known to you, Zeb. We were just speaking of the
danger which you are aware is threatening us. Have you seen anything
lately to excite suspicion?"

"Nothin' worth speakin' of," replied he, seating himself in front of
George and Rosalind.

"What was it, Zeb?" asked the latter.

"When I's out tendin' to things, I t'ought as how I'd sit down and rest,
and 'cordin'ly I squats on a big stone. Purty soon de stone begin to
move, and come to look, 'twas a big Injin.

"'Heigh!' says I, 'what you doin' here?'

"'Ugh!' he grunted.

"'Yes, I'll "ugh!" you,' says I, 'if I cotches you here ag'in.' With dat
I pitches him two, free rods off, and tells him to make tracks fur
home."

"Heavens! if you would only tell the truth, Zeb. Did you really see an
Indian, though?"

"'Deed I did, and he run when he see'd me in arnist."

"And you saw others yesterday, did you?" remarked Rosalind.

"Two or free, down toward de woods. I spied 'em crawlin' and smellin'
down dar, and axes dem dar business. Dey said as how dey's lookin' for a
jack-knife dat dey lost dar last summer. I told 'em dat dey oughter be
'shamed demselves to be smellin' round dat way; and to provide against
dar doin's in future, I give dem each a good kick and sent dem away."

"Do not exaggerate your story so much," said Rosalind. "Give the truth
and nothing else."

"Qua'r, folks won't believe all dis pusson observes," said he, with an
offended air.

"Tell the truth and they will in all cases; but should you deceive once,
you will always be suspected afterward."

"Dat's it," commenced the negro, spreading out his broad hand like an
orator to illustrate the point. "If I tells de truf dey're sure to t'in