end of his spree. Suddenly all singing stopped. There was a
flutter in the bushes and birds flew away and a rabbit scampered over a
log. It was a loud cry of distress and all nature heeds the cry of pain.
Laugh and the bird listens; shriek and it flies away.

"Whoa!" shouted Jasper. "What was that yell?"

"Someone in distress," Tom answered. "Seems to be over to the left."

They listened. The cry came again, and upon it was borne the words,
distinct now in the stillness: "Fur de Lawd's sake doan kill me."

"Come on!" Jasper shouted, as he leaped out of the wagon; and everyone
followed him. "Hold on thar!" the old man cried. "Don't tetch him
whoever you air. Do you hear me? It's Jasper Starbuck that's a talkin'
to you."

Down a slant and in an open space there was a fire of twigs, and in its
light were four men, one a negro bound hand and foot, the others an
oldish man and evidently his two sons.

"What's the matter here?" Jasper demanded.

"Wall," replied the oldish man, "whatever it is, it ain't no affair of
yourn. Tie him across the log, boys."

The negro implored mercy. "Marster, ez de Lawd is my jedge, I ain't
guilty. I ain't been er good man--I 'knowledges dat, but dis time I
ain't guilty."

"Hold on," Jasper demanded, and the women, standing behind him, murmured
commendation of his course. Tom and Jim stood apart, in positions of
advantage in the event that there should be a fight. "Hold on," Starbuck
repeated, speaking to the father of the two young men. "You must be a
newcomer in these here parts, or you would have held on at the first
command. Don't reckon you know me."

"I don't know you, but I know my own business. My name is Sanderson, and
I am from North Caroliny, and we air goin' to whup this nigger within a
inch of his life or know the reason why."

"All right," said Jasper, taking off his hat and scratching his head.
"That is, if I don't give you the reason why. Thar happens to be a
reason. But befo' I git down to it, let me ask what this po' devil's
done."

The negro broke out with fresh imploration. "Ole marster, save me. I
ain't nuthin' on dis big yearth--dar ain't no way fur me ter be no
count. De Lawd ain't gib me whut he has you folks. He has put me yeah
ter run like er rabbit wheneber I sees er white man er comin', an' I do
hopes you take my part. I'll tell you whut he 'cuze me erbout. I wuz er
comin' laung de road, an' I yeard a dog yelp, an' I come ter de dog er
minit later an' he