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paper and the curious way she acted, and then maybe he would a locked her up

and this awful mess wouldn't ever happened.

When I got down out of the tree, I crept along down the river bank a

piece, and found the two bodies laying in the edge of the water, and tugged

at them till I got them ashore; then I covered up their faces, and got away as

quick as I could. I cried a little when I was covering up Buck's face, for he

was mighty good to me. ssssssssss

It was just dark, now. I never went near the house, but struck through the

woods and made for the swamp. Jim warn't on his island, so I tramped off in

a hurry for the crick, and crowded through the willows, red-hot to jump aboard

and get out of that awful country -- the raft was gone! My souls, but I was

scared! I couldn't get my breath for most a minute. Then I raised a yell. A

voice not twenty-five foot from me, says --

"Good lan'! is dat you, honey? Doan' make no noise."

It was Jim's voice -- nothing ever sounded so good before. I run along the

bank a piece and got aboard, and Jim he grabbed me and hugged me, he was so

glad to see me. He says -- ssssssssss

"Laws bless you, chile, I 'uz right down sho' you's dead agin. Jack's been

heah, he say he reck'n you's ben shot, kase you didn' come home no mo'; so

I's jes' dis minute a startin' de raf down towards de mouf er de crick, so's to be

all ready for to shove out en leave soon as Jack comes agin en tells me for certain

you is dead. Lawsy, I's mighty glad to git you back agin, honey."

I says -- ssssssssss

"All right -- that's mighty good; they won't find me, and they'll think I've

been killed, and floated down the river -- there's something up there that'll help

them to think so -- so don't you lose no time, Jim, but just shove off for the big

water as fast as ever you can." ssssssssss

I never felt easy till the raft was two mile below there and out in the middle

of the Mississippi. Then we hung up our signal lantern, and judged that we was

free and safe once more. I hadn't had a bite to eat since yesterday; so Jim he got

out some corn-dodgers and buttermilk, and pork and cabbage, and greens --

there ain't nothing in the world so good, when it's cooked right -- and whilst I eat

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