him on the back a downright blow, that would have
almost felled an ox, as he was getting out the baggage.

"Doant thee noo, Measter Draa," expostulated Tim, "behaave thyself, man,
or Ay'se give thee soomat thou woant loike, I'm thinking. Noo! send oot
yan o' t' nagers, joost to stand till t' nags till Ay lift oot t'
boxes!"

"A nigger, is it? darn their black skins! there was a dozen here jest
now, a blockin' up the fire-side, and stinkin' so no white man could
come nearst it, till I got an axe-handle, half an hour or so since, and
cleared out the heap of them! Niggers! they'll be here all of them
torights, I warrant; where you sees Archer, there's never no scarceness
of dogs and niggers. But come, walk in boys! walk in, anyhow--Jem'll be
here to rights, and he's worth two niggers any day, though he's
black-fleshed, I guess, if one was jest to skin the etarnal creatur."

Very few minutes passed before they were all drawn up round the fire,
Captain Reade and two or three more making room for them, as they pulled
up their chairs about the glowing hearth--having hung up their coats and
capes against the wall.

"You'll be here best, boys," said Tom, "for a piece--the parlor fire's
not been lit yet this fall, and it is quite cold nights now--but
Brower'll kindle it up agin supper, for you'll be wantin' to eat, all of
you, I reckon, you're sich darned everlastin' gormandizers."

"That most undoubtedly we shall," said Frank, "for it's past eight now,
and the deuce a mouthful have we put into our heads since twelve."

"Barrin' the liquor, Frank! barrin' the liquor--now don't lie! don't
lie, boy, so ridic'lous--as if I'd known you these six years, and then
was a goin' to believe as you'd not drinked since noon!"

"Why, you old hogshead, you! who wants you to believe anything of the
kind--we had one drink at Tom's, your cousin's, when we started, but
deuce the drop since."

"That's just the reason why you're so snarlish, then, I reckon! Your
coppers is got bilin', leastwise if they beant all biled out--you'd best
drink stret away, I guess, afore the bottom of the biler gits left bare
--for if it does, and it's red hot now, boy, you'll be a blowin' up,
like an old steamboat, when you pumps in fresh water."

"Well, Tom," said Archer, "I do not think it would be a bad move to take
a drop of something, and a cracker; for I suppose we shall not get
supper much short of two hours; and I'm so deuced hungry, that if I
don't get