ntented and happy as the circumstances would
admit; and always being anxious to enjoy the privilege of their time
in the yard, they would leave their cell together, and mix with the
prisoners of their own color under the stoop.

After a few days, they found that their cell had been entered, and
nearly all their provisions stolen. Not contented with this, the act was
repeated for several days, and all the means they provided to detect the
thief proved fruitless. The jailer made several searches through
their remonstrances, but without effecting any thing. They kept their
provisions in a little box, which they locked with a padlock; but as
Daley had the keys of the cell, they had no means of locking the door.
At length Manuel set a trap that proved effectual. One morning Tommy
came puffing into the jail with a satchel over his back. "I guess Manuel
won't feel downhearted when he sees this--do you think he will?" said
the little fellow, as he put the satchel upon the floor and looked up
at the jailer. "An' I've got some cigars, too, the Captain sent, in
my pocket," said he, nodding his head; and putting his hand into a
side-pocket, pulled out one and handed it to the jailer.

"Ah! you are a good little fellow-worth a dozen of our boys. Sit down
and rest yourself," said the jailer, and called a monstrous negro wench
to bring a chair and take the satchel up to the cell. Then turning
to the back-door, he called Manuel; and, as if conscious of Tommy's
arrival, the rest of the stewards followed. He sprang from the chair
as soon as he saw Manuel, and running toward him, commenced telling him
what he had got in the satchel and at the same time pulled out a handful
of segars that the Captain had sent for himself. Manuel led the way
up-stairs, followed by Tommy and the train of stewards. Tommy opened the
satchel, while Manuel laid the contents, one by one, on the table which
necessity had found in the head of a barrel.

"Now eat, my friends, eat just as much as you want, and then I'll catch
the thief that breaks my lock and steals my meat. I catch him," said
Manuel. After they had all done, he locked the balance up in his box,
and sent everybody down-stairs into the yard, first covering himself
with two mattrasses, and giving orders to Copeland to lock the door
after him. Every thing was ready to move at the word. In this position
he remained for nearly half an hour. At length he heard a footstep
approach the door, and then the l