awhile, I go to de village to git a rope to haul you out."

But this proposition was far from suiting the constable. Now that
assistance was near at hand, he dreaded to lose it out of sight or
hearing. He knew there was no necessity for procuring any rope, and
feared that if Primus put his threatened plan into execution, he would
bring along with him a rabble of men and boys, to jeer at and ridicule
his sufferings. This now seemed worse than all he had already endured;
he was, therefore, willing to make any compromise to avert the
disaster.

"Don't go, don't go, Prime," begged the constable. "Just give us your
hand, and pull us out of this infarnal place. There's no need of any
rope."

"But suppose you pull me in arter you, what we do den? De fire would
be all in de fat. Beside, you talk as if you respect me. No, I tink I
be safer if oder folks be here, too."

"O, Prime," whined Basset, "you hain't no better friend in the world
than me, and no more bowels of marcy than a stump. I tell ye, I don't
suspect you. Lend us a hand, and I'll never forget it, the longest day
I have to live."

"Well," said the General, "you must make us a promise, fust."

"What promise? I'll make any promise you please, only do help us out.
I'm 'most dead with cold."

"You must promise nebber to say any ting about dis night. Dere's
'spicious folks round, like de doctor, and when dey hear you git catch
like a rat in a trap, dey is likely to say, 'Ah, dat is dat old niggur
Primus's work,' and so I lose my good character. De innocent man must
be like de weasel dat is nebber catch asleep."

It went hard against the grain, for the constable to make the promise,
but there was no alternative except remaining there, he knew not how
long, finally to be extricated by a laughing crowd. With a very ill
grace, therefore, he promised all that Primus required, and would have
bound himself to ten times more, if necessary; but the General was
generous, and asked only security for the future, having no indemnity
to demand for the past. Planting his sound foot firmly in the snow,
the General extended his hand, which being grasped by Basset, he was
soon delivered from thraldom.

"What's to hender me now, you infernal darkey," exclaimed the
exasperated constable, as soon as he found himself in the upper air,
"from throwing you into the well, and letting you rot there!"

"What to hender, Missa Basset?" returned the General, stepping back.
"You own feeli