CHAPTER LIV. THE ESCAPE.

withher.Perhapsshewouldnothavebeenabletoaccomplishthis,hadnotwhatsheconsideredaratherfortunatereverse,aboutthistime,broughtTomtitintodisgracewithhismaster.Owingtosomepieceofcarelessmischiefwhichhehadcommitted,hehadbeenbeatenwithaseverityasthoughtlessastheindulgenceheatothertimesreceived,and,whilebruisedandtremblingfromthisinfliction,hewasfullyreadytoflyanywhere. Quiteunexpectedlytoallparties,itwasdiscoveredthatTomGordon'sconfidentialservantandvalet,Jim,wasoneofthemostforwardtoescape.Thisman,fromthatpeculiarmixtureofboldness,adroitness,cunning,anddrollery,whichoftenexistsamongnegroes,hadstoodforyearsasprimeandundisputedfavoritewithhismasterhehadneverwantedformoney,orforanythingthatmoneycouldpurchaseandhehadhadanalmostunreprovedlibertyofsaying,inanoddfashion,whathepleased,withthelicensedaudacityofacourtbuffoon. Oneoftheslavesexpressedastonishmentthathe,inhisfavoredposition,shouldthinkofsuchathing.Jimgaveaknowinginclinationofhisheadtooneside,andsaid:— "Fac'is,bredren,dischileisjesttiredofdeseyerpartnershipconcerns.Iandmas'r,wehasalltingsincommon,sure'noughbutdenI'dratherhavelessof'em,andhavesomethingdat'smine'sideswhich,Inever'sgoingtohaveawifetillIcangetonedat'llbelongtomyselfdatar'satingI's'ticular'bout." Theconspiratorswerewonttoholdtheirmeetingsnightlyinthewoods,neartheswamp,forpurposesofconcertandarrangement. Jimhadbeentrustedsomuchtocomeandgoathisownpleasure,thathefeltlittlefearofdetection,alwayshavingsomeplausibleexcuseonhand,ifinquiriesweremade. Itistobeconfessedthathehadbeenaveryprofaneandirreverentfellow,oftenattendingprayer-meetings,andotherreligiousexercisesofthenegroes,fornootherapparentpurposethantobeabletogiveburlesqueimitationsofalltheproceedingsfortheamusementofhismasterandhismaster'svileassociates.Whenever,therefore,hewasmissed,hewould,uponinquiry,assert,withaknowingwink,that"hehadbeenouttodeprayer-meetin'." "Seemstome,Jim,"saysTom,onemorning,whenhefeltpeculiarlyill-natured,"seemstomeyouaredoingnothingbutgotomeeting,lately.Idon'tlikeit,andI'mnotgoingtohaveit.Somedeviltryorotheryouareupto,andI'mgoingtoputastoptoit.Now,mindyourselfdon'tyougoanymore,orI'llgiveyou——" WeshallnotmentionparticularlywhatTomwasinthehabitofthreateningtogive. Herewasadilemma.Oneattendancemoreinthewoodsthisverynightwasnecessary,—was,indeed,indispensable.Jimputallhispowersofpleasingintorequisition.Neverhadhemadesuchdesperateeffortstobeentertaining.Hesang,hedanced,hemimickedsermons,carriedonmockmeetings,andseemedtowhipallthingssacredandprofanetogether,inonegreatsyllabubofuproariousmerrimentandthistoanidleman,withawholedayuponhishands,andanurgentnecessityforneverhavingtimetothink,wasnosmallaffair. Tommentallyreflectedintheevening,ashelaystretchedoutintheveranda,smokinghiscigar,whatintheworldheshoulddowithoutJim,tokeephiminspiritsandJim,undercoveroftheday'sglory,hadventuredtorequestofhismasterthelibertyofanhour,whichheemployedingoingtohistrystinthewoods.Thiswasaboldstep,consideringhowpositivelyhehadbeenforbiddentodoitinthemorningbutJimheartilyprayedtohisownwits,theonlygodhehadbee