prised.

"He may be a trifle late, but if he is, wait. He must take your boat,"
Tom Hardy had said to the captain when engaging passage for his friend,
and Tom Hardy was not one whose wishes were often disregarded. "Them
Hardys does more business with me in one year than ten other families
and I can't go agin Tom, and if he says wait for his friend, why,
there's nothing to do but wait," the captain said, as he walked up and
down in front of his boat, growing more and more impatient, until at
last as he was beginning to swear he'd wait no longer for all the Hardys
in Christendom, two men came slowly towards the landing, talking
earnestly and not seeming to be in the least hurry, although the "Hatty"
began to scream herself hoarse as if frantic to be gone.

"How d'ye, Cap," Tom said, in his easy, off-hand way. "Hope we haven't
kept you long. This is my friend I told you about. I suppose his berth
is ready?"

He did not tell the name of his friend, who, as if loath to cross the
plank, held back for a few more words. Tom gave him a little push at
last, and said, "Good-bye, you really must go. Success to you, but don't
for a moment think of carrying out that quixotic plan you first
mentioned. Better jump into the river. Good-bye!"

The plank was crossed and pulled in, and a mulatto boy came forward to
take the stranger's bag and pilot him to his stateroom, which opened
from what was called the ladies' parlor. Coiled up in a corner on the
deck was a bundle of something which stirred as they came near to it,
and began to turn over, making the stranger start with a slight
exclamation.

"Doan you be skeert, sar," the boy said, "dat's nottin' but Mandy Ann,
an onery nigger what b'longs to ole Miss Harris in de clarin' up ter
Ent'prise. She's been hired out a spell in Jacksonville,--nuss to a
little gal, and now she's gwine home. Miss Dory done sent for her,
'case Jake is gone and ole Miss is wus,--never was very peart," and
turning to the girl the boy Ted continued: "You Mandy Ann, doan you know
more manners not to skeer a gemman, rollin' round like a punkin? Get
back wid yer."

He spurned the bundle with his foot, while the stranger stopped
suddenly, as if a blow had been struck him.

"Who did you say she was? To whom does she belong, I mean?" he asked,
and the boy replied, "Mandy Ann, a no count nigger, b'longs to Miss
Harris. Poor white trash! Crackers! Dis your stateroom, sar. Kin I do
somethin' for you?"

The boy'