tem reminded him of the bootjack he had been
used for, and the kick he had received.

He stopped in the street, his wrath rising up again at the recollection.
"Good mind ter go back, and not do his old arrant." But then he thought
of the smiles and compliments, and the promised reward. "Somefin' kinder
decent 'bout dat mis'ble Sprowl, 'long wid a heap o' mean tings, arter
all!" And he started on again.

Lysander's note was in these words:--

"Leiutent Ropes Send me with the bearrer of This 2 strappin felloes
capble of doin a touhgh Job."

This letter was duly signed, and duly delivered, and it brought the "2
strappin felloes." The internal evidence it bore, that Lysander had not
pursued his studies at school half as earnestly as he had of late
pursued the schoolmaster, made no difference with the result.

The two strapping fellows returned with Toby. They were raw recruits,
who had travelled a long distance on foot in order to enlist in the
confederate ranks. They had an unmistakable foreign air. They called
themselves Germans. They were brothers.

"All right, Toby!" said Lysander, well pleased. "What are you bowing and
grinning at me for? O, I was to give you something!"

"If you please, sar," said Toby--wretched, deceived, cajoled, devoted
Toby.

"Well, you go to the woodshed and bring the clothes line for these
fellows--to make a swing for the ladies, you know--then I'll tell you
what you're to have."

"Sartin, sar." And Toby ran for the clothes line.

"Good old Toby! Now, what you have deserved so long, and what these
stout Dutchmen will proceed to give you, is the damnedest licking you
ever had in your life!"

Toby almost fainted; falling upon his knees, and rolling up his eyes in
consternation. Sprowl smiled. The "Dutchmen" grinned. Just then Salina
darted into the room.

"Lysander! what are you going to do with that old man?"

She put the demand sharply, her short upper lip quivering, cheeks
flushed, eyes flaming.

"I'm going to have him whipped."

"No, you are not. You promised me you wouldn't. You told me that if he
would go to the Academy for you, and be respectful, you would forgive
him. If I had known what you were sending for, he should never have left
this house. Now send those men back, and let him go."

"Not exactly, my lady. I am master in this house, whatever turns up. I
am this nigger's master, too."

"You are not; you never were. Toby has his freedom. He shall not be
whipped!"