at the bar, leaving me alone, and industriously
employed in brightening up the front of the cabin. I was still engaged
at this labor, not sorry to be left alone, when a cautious whisper,
sounding almost at my very ear, caused me to glance up quickly,
startled at the unexpected sound. I could perceive nothing, although I
instantly felt convinced that whispering voice had issued from between
the narrow slats defending the small stateroom window. No one was in
sight along the deck, and the rag I was wielding hung limp in my hand.

"Who was it that spoke?" I ventured, the words barely audible.

"Ah did; the prisoner in the stateroom. Have both those men gone?"

"Yes; I am here alone. You are a woman? You are Rene Beaucaire?"

"No, Ah am not her; but Ah thought from the way yer questioned thet
brute, yer was interested. Ah know whar Rene Beaucaire is."

"You know? Tell me first, who you are?"

"Elsie Clark. Ah am a mulatto, a free negress. Ah bin helpin' Massa
Shrunk, an' a cookin' fer him. Yer know whut it wus whut happened down
thar?"

"I know part of it, at least--that Shrunk has been killed. I am not a
steamboatman. I was at Shrunk's cabin, and found the bodies. Tell me
exactly what occurred there."

"Whut's yer name?"

"Steven Knox; I am a soldier. Rene must have told you about me."

"No, sah; she never done tol' me nuthin'. Ah didn't much mor'n see her
enyhow, fur as thet goes."

"Not see her! Then she is not confined there with you?"

"Wiv me? Dar ain't nobody confined yer wiv me. Ah just ain't set eyes
on nobody since Ah done got on board, 'cept de cook. Ah reckon dem
white men aim fer ter tote me soufe, an' sell me fer a slave; dat's why
Ah's locked up yere dis way. But Ah sure does know whar dis yer Rene
Beaucaire wus."

"Where?"

"Wal', sah, it wus 'bout like dis. Long 'bout three o'clock in de
manning, ol' Bill Sikes cum up frum de lower pint, a drivin' his
kivered wagon, an' made Massa Shrunk git up out er bed fer ter git him
anodder team o' hosses. Den dey done routed me up fer ter hustle up
sum grub."

"Sikes; who is Sikes?"

"He lives down by de lower pike, Sah; he's an abolitionist, sah."

"Oh, I see; he and Shrunk worked together. He helped with the runaway
slaves."

"Yas, sah. Ah's bin called up thet way afore. So Ah just nat'larly
went ter work cookin', an' purty soon dey all ov 'em cum stragglin' in
ter de cabin fer ter eat. Dar was four ov 'em, sah," her