king for some time he had
been enabled to purchase the horse and wagon he drove, and as he was
making money, hoped in a few years to have enough to purchase his own
freedom. Roch concluded he could gain from him some information as to
Maroney's driver, so he carelessly asked him if the hack driver was also
hired out.

"Yes, sah, him ib my cousin," said Sambo.

Roch supposed the negro must have had his _quasi_ freedom, from seeing
him go into a saloon, as the planters never allow their slaves to go
into drinking-places; not because they think it immoral, but because the
slaves would most likely become unfit for work.

Roch asked the negro if he knew where they kept good brandy.

"Golly, ib you want good licker, dis yer sloon is de place to find it!"

"Drive up, and we will sample some of it," ordered Roch.

Sambo willingly obeyed, and they went into the saloon. Roch again
assumed his German accent. The two negroes at once recognized each
other, and Roch, in his broken way, said:

"Vel, poys, vat vill you haf?"

The niggers grinned from ear to ear, and replied:

"De same ab you, boss."

"Barkeeper, you haf any lager got? Nein? Och, mine Got, dis ish von h--l
of a blace! Notting put prandy und vhisky! I pelieves I vill go by
Yarmany the steamer next. Vell, give us dree prandys! Trink hearty,
poys. Mine frient," continued he, turning to the hackman, "your peesness
ish goot? No?"

"Yes, sah! I always dribes the gemmen what comes on de steamer. Ya, ha!
Dey nearly all goes to de same place. Dis mornin' a gemmen come on de
steamer, an' say, 'Here, you nigga, dribe me as fas' as you can to
Mudder Bink's.' I'se yer man, says I; an' golly, didn't I make dose
hosses trabel! I was gwine like de debil when he stop me, an' went to de
store. Den I took him to Madam's, and he say, 'Here, Sambo, you jus' go
down town, an' come fur me in two hours;' an' I's gwine back, an' if
dis yer nigga don't get a fiver for his trouble, den dis court don't
know itself!"

"Mudder Beenk's?" exclaimed Roch. "Who vas das?"

"Yah, yah, yah," roared both the darkies. "You don' know Mudder Binks!
Why, she keeps de finest gals on all de ribber."

[Illustration: _"Yah, yah, yah," roared both the darkies, "you don't
know Mudder Binks! why she keeps the finest gals on all de
ribber."_--Page 69.]

Roch was happy when he heard this, as he was now positive that Maroney
was not taking any action to cover up the robbery; so he settled with
the exp