taint worth while to say nothin 'bout it, as I see."

"I shan't say nothing about it as long as you keep sober; but mind, you go
pitching and tumbling about, and I aint under no kind of promise to keep
your secret. And its the blessed truth, they'd laugh, sure enough, at you,
if they did know it."

And the hint had such a good effect, that after a while, it was reported
all over the plantation that Bacchus "had give up drinkin, for good and
all."

CHAPTER XVIII.

It was in answer to Arthur's letter, expressing great anxiety to hear from
home, in consequence of so long a time having passed without his receiving
his usual letters, that Mr. Weston wrote him of Alice's illness. She was
then convalescing, but in so feeble and nervous a condition, that Dr.
Lawton advised Arthur's remaining where he was--wishing his patient to be
kept even from the excitement of seeing so dear a relative. Mr. Weston
insisted upon Arthur's being contented with hearing constantly of her
improvement, both from himself and Mrs. Weston. This, Arthur consented to
do; but in truth he was not aware of the extent of the danger which had
threatened Alice's life, and supposed it to have been an ordinary fever.
With what pleasure did he look forward, in his leisure moments, to the time
when it would be his privilege always to be near her; and to induce the
tedious interval to pass more rapidly, he employed himself with his
studies, as constantly as the season would allow. He had formed a sincere
attachment to Abel Johnson, whose fine talents and many high qualities made
him a delightful companion. Mr. Hubbard was a connection of young
Johnson's, and felt privileged often to intrude himself upon them. It
really was an intrusion, for he had at present a severe attack of the
Abolition fever, and he could not talk upon any other subject. This was
often very disagreeable to Arthur and his friend, but still it became a
frequent subject of their discussion, when Mr. Hubbard was present, and
when they were alone.

In the mean time, the warm season was passing away, and Alice did not
recover her strength as her friends wished. No place in the country could
have been more delightful than Exeter was at that season; but still it
seemed necessary to have a change of scene. September had come, and it was
too late to make their arrangements to go to the North, and Alice added to
this a great objection to so doing. A distant relation of Mr. Weston, a
very yo