en dey ax me."

"What's your name?" said Pompey, addressing himself to another.

"Jeems."

"Oh! Uncle Jim, is it?"

"Yes."

"Den you must have all them gray whiskers shaved off, and all dem gray
hairs plucked out of your head." This was all said by Pompey in a
manner which showed that he know what he was about.

"How old is you?" asked Pompey of a tall, strong-looking man. "What's
your name?"

"I am twenty-nine years old, and my name is Tobias, but they calls me
Toby."

"Well, Toby, or Mr. Tobias, if dat will suit you better, you are now
twenty-three years old; dat's all,--do you understand dat?"

"Yes," replied Toby.

Pompey now gave them all to understand how old they were to be when
asked by persons who were likely to purchase, and then went and
reported to his master that the old boys were all right.

"Be sure," said Jennings, "that the niggers don't forget what you have
taught them, for our luck this time in the market depends upon their
appearance. If any of them have so many gray hairs that you cannot
pluck them out, take the blacking and brush, and go at them."

CHAPTER IV

THE BOAT-RACE.

At eight o'clock, on the evening of the third day of the passage, the
lights of another steamer were soon in the distance, and apparently
coming up very fast. This was the signal for a general commotion on
board the Patriot, and everything indicated that a steamboat-race was
at hand. Nothing can exceed the excitement attendant upon the racing of
steamers on the Mississippi.

By the time the boats had reached Memphis they were side by side, and
each exerting itself to get in advance of the other. The night was
clear, the moon shining brightly, and the boats so near to each other
that the passengers were within speaking distance. On board the Patriot
the firemen were using oil, lard, butter, and even bacon, with woody
for the purpose of raising the steam to its highest pitch. The blaze
mingled with the black smoke that issued from the pipes of the other
boat, which showed that she also was burning something more combustible
than wood.

The firemen of both boats, who were slaves, were singing songs such as
can only be heard on board a Southern steamer. The boats now came
abreast of each other, and nearer and nearer, until they were locked so
that men could pass from one to the other. The wildest excitement
prevailed among the men employed on the steamers, in which the
passengers freely participated.