ately, to see how it sells. How many hundred dollars, now,
do you put on for this religion?"

"You like to be jokin, now," said the trader; "but, then, there's
_sense_ under all that ar. I know there's differences in religion. Some
kinds is mis'rable: there's your meetin pious; there's your singin,
roarin pious; them ar an't no account, in black or white;--but these
rayly is; and I've seen it in niggers as often as any, your rail softly,
quiet, stiddy, honest, pious, that the hull world couldn't tempt 'em
to do nothing that they thinks is wrong; and ye see in this letter what
Tom's old master says about him."

"Now," said the young man, stooping gravely over his book of bills, "if
you can assure me that I really can buy _this_ kind of pious, and that
it will be set down to my account in the book up above, as something
belonging to me, I wouldn't care if I did go a little extra for it. How
d'ye say?"

"Wal, raily, I can't do that," said the trader. "I'm a thinkin that
every man'll have to hang on his own hook, in them ar quarters."

"Rather hard on a fellow that pays extra on religion, and can't trade
with it in the state where he wants it most, an't it, now?" said
the young man, who had been making out a roll of bills while he was
speaking. "There, count your money, old boy!" he added, as he handed the
roll to the trader.

"All right," said Haley, his face beaming with delight; and pulling out
an old inkhorn, he proceeded to fill out a bill of sale, which, in a few
moments, he handed to the young man.

"I wonder, now, if I was divided up and inventoried," said the latter
as he ran over the paper, "how much I might bring. Say so much for the
shape of my head, so much for a high forehead, so much for arms, and
hands, and legs, and then so much for education, learning, talent,
honesty, religion! Bless me! there would be small charge on that last,
I'm thinking. But come, Eva," he said; and taking the hand of his
daughter, he stepped across the boat, and carelessly putting the tip of
his finger under Tom's chin, said, good-humoredly, "Look-up, Tom, and
see how you like your new master."

Tom looked up. It was not in nature to look into that gay, young,
handsome face, without a feeling of pleasure; and Tom felt the tears
start in his eyes as he said, heartily, "God bless you, Mas'r!"

"Well, I hope he will. What's your name? Tom? Quite as likely to do it
for your asking as mine, from all accounts. Can you drive horse