very
pleased to see her. She was angry, and blamed her for letting Tom be
sold.

But Mrs. Shelby did not seem to see Aunt Chloe's angry looks. 'Tom,' she
said, turning to him, 'I come to--' she could say no more, she was
crying so bitterly.

Then all Aunt Chloe's anger faded away.

'Lor', now missis, don't-don't,' she said. She too burst out crying
again, and for a few minutes they all sobbed together.

'Tom,' said Mrs. Shelby at last, 'I can't do anything for you now. But
I promise you, most solemnly, to save as much, money as I can. As soon
as I have enough, I will buy you back again.'

Just then Haley arrived. Tom said a last sad good-bye to his wife and
children, and got into the cart, which Haley had brought with him.

As soon as Tom was seated in the cart, Haley took a heavy chain, and
fastened it round his ankles. Poor Tom had done nothing wrong, yet he
was treated worse than a thief, just because he was a slave.

'You don't need to do that,' said Mrs. Shelby, 'Tom won't run away.'

'Don't know so much about that, ma'am; I've lost one already. I can't
afford to run any more risks,' replied Haley.

'Please give my love to Mas'r George,' said Tom, looking round sadly.
'Tell him how sorry I am he is not at home to say good-bye.'

Master George was Mr. and Mrs. Shelby's son. He was very fond of Tom,
and was teaching him to write. He often used to come and have tea in
Uncle Tom's little cottage. Aunt Chloe used to make her very nicest
cakes when Mas'r George came to tea. But he was not at home now, and did
not know that Tom had been sold.

Haley whipped up the horse, and, with a last sad look at the old place,
Tom was whirled away to a town called Washington.

CHAPTER VII

UNCLE TOM MEETS EVA

Haley stayed in Washington several days. He went to market each day and
bought more slaves. He put heavy chains on their hands and feet, and
sent them to prison along with Tom.

When he had bought all the slaves he wanted, and was ready to go, he
drove them before him, like a herd of cattle, on to a boat which was
going south.

It was a beautiful boat. The deck was gay with lovely ladies and fine
gentlemen walking about enjoying the bright spring sunshine.

Down on the lower deck, in the dark, among the luggage, were crowded Tom
and the other poor slaves.

Some of the ladies and gentlemen on board were very sorry for the poor
niggers, and pitied them. Others never thought about them at all, or if