or else let him understand that I
was set against a certain portion of it.

All this I said to Uncle 'Rasmus, striving to make him understand
clearly why I must go on even though it was against my inclination, and
when I was finally come to an end the old man said in a tone of
resignation:

"Well, honey, I'se 'lowin' you'se gwine to do jes' as dat yere little
French boy says; but I'se tellin' you, chile, dat de only way to treat
dese yere Tories is de way you treat a rattlesnake, an' dat is to get
'em on de end ob a split stick an' leabe 'em dere, widout worryin' yo'
head ef dey's habin' it comfortable or not."

"I'll go back and do as I've promised, Uncle 'Rasmus. You stay here, and
in five minutes I shall return unless something unfortunate happens."

"Keep your eye mighty sharp on dat Abel Hunt, chile. Don' let him get de
best ob you no how, kase he's slippery, an' like de rattler, he's gwine
to strike when you ain' lookin' for it."

"I'm not counting on having any trouble whatsoever with Abel, Uncle
'Rasmus. Horry Sims is to do that part of it, as I have told you."

Then I went hurriedly away, feeling ill at ease on this errand of mercy
because of the old negro's insistence that it was dangerous and bordered
on folly to set loose such as Abel Hunt, when we had him trussed up
where it was not possible for him to do any mischief.

I hastened back to old Mary's cabin, and, halting not on the floor
below, went directly into the loft, where, cutting the bonds that held
Horry Sims's feet, I ordered him to follow me down the ladder. At that
moment I would, had it not been for Uncle 'Rasmus's warning, have taken
the gag from Abel Hunt's mouth that he might be saved just so many more
moments of suffering; but having in mind all the old negro had advanced
as an argument against showing such mercy, I withheld my hand, and Horry
Sims followed me in surprise and bewilderment at this sudden change in
affairs, as obediently as a well whipped cur would have done.

It had been Pierre's command that I bring the Tory lad down to the floor
below, there set him free, and then make my escape; but, because of the
doubts in my heart, I exceeded little Frenchie's instructions by leading
him some distance, say an hundred feet, from the cabin before telling
him what were my intentions.

"You are to go back now and release Abel Hunt," I said, after having
explained to him as much as I thought necessary, although I took care to
have t