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INthemorningwewentuptothevillageandboughtawirerat-trapandfetcheditdown,andunstoppedthebestrat-hole,andinaboutanhourwehadfifteenofthebulliestkindofones;andthenwetookitandputitinasafeplaceunderAuntSally’sbed.
ButwhilewewasgoneforspiderslittleThomasFranklinBenjaminJeffersonElexanderPhelpsfounditthere,andopenedthedoorofittoseeiftheratswouldcomeout,andtheydid;andAuntSallyshecomein,andwhenwegotbackshewasa-standingontopofthebedraisingCain,andtheratswasdoingwhattheycouldtokeepoffthedulltimesforher.
Soshetookanddustedusbothwiththehickry,andwewasasmuchastwohourscatchinganotherfifteenorsixteen,dratthatmeddlesomecub,andtheywarn’tthelikeliest,nuther,becausethefirsthaulwasthepickoftheflock.
Ineverseealikelierlotofratsthanwhatthatfirsthaulwas.
Wegotasplendidstockofsortedspiders,andbugs,andfrogs,andcaterpillars,andonethingoranother;andweliketogotahornet’snest,butwedidn’t.Thefamilywasathome.
Wedidn’tgiveitrightup,butstayedwiththemaslongaswecould;becauseweallowedwe’dtirethemoutorthey’dgottotireusout,andtheydoneit.
Thenwegotallycumpainandrubbedontheplaces,andwasprettynearallrightagain,butcouldn’tsetdownconvenient.
Andsowewentforthesnakes,andgrabbedacoupleofdozengartersandhouse-snakes,andputtheminabag,andputitinourroom,andbythattimeitwassuppertime,andarattlinggoodhonestday’swork:andhungry?–oh,no,Ireckonnot!
Andtherewarn’tablessedsnakeuptherewhenwewentback–wedidn’thalftiethesack,andtheyworkedoutsomehow,andleft.
Butitdidn’tmattermuch,becausetheywasstillonthepremisessomewheres.
Sowejudgedwecouldgetsomeofthemagain.
No,therewarn’tnorealscarcityofsnakesaboutthehouseforaconsiderablespell.
You’dseethemdrippingfromtheraftersandplaceseverynowandthen;andtheygenerlylandedinyourplate,ordownthebackofyourneck,andmostofthetimewhereyoudidn’twantthem.
Well,theywashandsomeandstriped,andtherewarn’tnoharminamillionofthem;butthatnevermadenodifferencetoAuntSally;shedespisedsnakes,bethebreedwhattheymight,andshecouldn’tstandthemnowayyoucouldfixit;andeverytimeoneofthemfloppeddownonher,itdidn’tmakenodifferencewhatshewasdoing,shewouldjustlaythatworkdownandlightout.Ineverseesuchawoman.
AndyoucouldhearherwhooptoJericho.
Youcouldn’tgethertotakea-holtofoneofthemwiththetongs.
Andifsheturnedoverandfoundoneinbedshewouldscrambleoutandliftahowlthatyouwouldthinkthehousewasafire.
Shedisturbedtheoldmansothathesaidhecouldmostwishtherehadn’teverbeennosnakescreated.
Why,aftereverylastsnakehadbeengoneclearoutofthehouseforasmuchasaweekAuntSallywarn’toverityet;shewarn’tnearoverit;whenshewassettingthinkingaboutsomethingyoucouldtouchheronthebackofherneckwithafeatherandshewouldjumprightoutofherstockings.Itwasverycurious.ButTomsaidallwomenwasjustso.
Hesaidtheywasmadethatwayforsomereasonorother.
Wegotalickingeverytimeoneofoursnakescomeinherway,andsheallowedtheselickingswarn’tnothingtowhatshewoulddoifweeverloadeduptheplaceagainwiththem.
Ididn’tmindthelickings,becausetheydidn’tamounttonothing;butImindedthetroublewehadtolayinanotherlot.
Butwegotthemlaidin,andalltheotherthings;andyouneverseeacabinasblithesomeasJim’swaswhenthey’dallswarmoutformusicandgoforhim.
Jimdidn’tlikethespiders,andthespidersdidn’tlikeJim;andsothey’dlayforhim,andmakeitmightywarmforhim.
Andhesaidthatbetweentheratsandthesnakesandthegrindstonetherewarn’tnoroominbedforhim,skasely;andwhentherewas,abodycouldn’tsleep,itwassolively,anditwasalwayslively,hesaid,becauseTHEYneverallsleptatonetime,buttookturnabout,sowhenthesnakeswasasleeptheratswasondeck,andwhentheratsturnedinthesnakescomeonwatch,sohealwayshadonegangunderhim,inhisway,andt’otherganghavingacircusoverhim,andifhegotuptohuntanewplacethespiderswouldtakeachanceathimashecrossedover.
Hesaidifheevergotoutthistimehewouldn’teverbeaprisoneragain,notforasalary.
Well,bytheendofthreeweekseverythingwasinprettygoodshape.
Theshirtwassentinearly,inapie,andeverytimearatbitJimhewouldgetupandwritealittleinhisjournalwhilsttheinkwasfresh;thepenswasmade,theinscriptionsandsoonwasallcarvedonthegrindstone;thebed-legwassawedintwo,andwehadetupthesawdust,anditgiveusamostamazingstomach-ache.
Wereckonedwewasallgoingtodie,butdidn’t.
ItwasthemostundigestiblesawdustIeversee;andTomsaidthesame.
ButasIwassaying,we’dgotalltheworkdonenow,atlast;andwewasallprettymuchfaggedout,too,butmainlyJim.
TheoldmanhadwroteacoupleoftimestotheplantationbelowOrleanstocomeandgettheirrunawaynigger,buthadn’tgotnoanswer,becausetherewarn’tnosuchplantation;soheallowedhewouldadvertiseJimintheSt.LouisandNewOrleanspapers;andwhenhementionedtheSt.Louisonesitgivemethecoldshivers,andIseewehadn’tnotimetolose.
SoTomsaid,nowforthenonnamousletters.
“What’sthem?”Isays.
“Warningstothepeoplethatsomethingisup.
Sometimesit’sdoneoneway,sometimesanother.
Butthere’salwayssomebodyspyingaroundthatgivesnoticetothegovernorofthecastle.WhenLouisXVI.
wasgoingtolightoutoftheTooleriesaservantgirldoneit.
It’saverygoodway,andsoisthenonnamousletters.We’llusethemboth.
Andit’susualfortheprisoner’smothertochangeclotheswithhim,andshestaysin,andheslidesoutinherclothes.We’lldothat,too.”
“Butlookyhere,Tom,whatdowewanttoWARNanybodyforthatsomething’sup?Letthemfinditoutforthemselves–it’stheirlookout.”
“Yes,Iknow;butyoucan’tdependonthem.
It’sthewaythey’veactedfromtheverystart–leftustodoEVERYTHING.
They’resoconfidingandmulletheadedtheydon’ttakenoticeofnothingatall.
Soifwedon’tGIVEthemnoticetherewon’tbenobodynornothingtointerferewithus,andsoafterallourhardworkandtroublethisescape‘llgooffperfectlyflat;won’tamounttonothing–won’tbenothingTOit.”
“Well,asforme,Tom,that’sthewayI’dlike.”
“Shucks!”hesays,andlookeddisgusted.SoIsays:
“ButIain’tgoingtomakenocomplaint.Anywaythatsuitsyousuitsme.Whatyougoingtodoabouttheservant-girl?”
“You’llbeher.Youslidein,inthemiddleofthenight,andhookthatyallergirl’sfrock.”
“Why,Tom,that‘llmaketroublenextmorning;because,ofcourse,sheprob’blyhain’tgotanybutthatone.”
“Iknow;butyoudon’twantitbutfifteenminutes,tocarrythenonnamousletterandshoveitunderthefrontdoor.”
“Allright,then,I’lldoit;butIcouldcarryitjustashandyinmyowntogs.”
“Youwouldn’tlooklikeaservant-girlTHEN,wouldyou?”
“No,buttherewon’tbenobodytoseewhatIlooklike,ANYWAY.”
“Thatain’tgotnothingtodowithit.ThethingforustodoisjusttodoourDUTY,andnotworryaboutwhetheranybodySEESusdoitornot.Hain’tyougotnoprincipleatall?”
“Allright,Iain’tsayingnothing;I’mtheservantgirl.Who’sJim’smother?”
“I’mhismother.I’llhookagownfromAuntSally.”
“Well,then,you’llhavetostayinthecabinwhenmeandJimleaves.”
“Notmuch.I’llstuffJim’sclothesfullofstrawandlayitonhisbedtorepresenthismotherindisguise,andJim‘lltaketheniggerwoman’sgownoffofmeandwearit,andwe’llallevadetogether.
Whenaprisonerofstyleescapesit’scalledanevasion.
It’salwayscalledsowhenakingescapes,f’rinstance.
Andthesamewithaking’sson;itdon’tmakenodifferencewhetherhe’sanaturaloneoranunnaturalone.”
SoTomhewrotethenonnamousletter,andIsmouchedtheyallerwench’sfrockthatnight,andputiton,andshoveditunderthefrontdoor,thewayTomtoldmeto.Itsaid:
Beware.Troubleisbrewing.Keepasharplookout.UNKNOWNFRIEND.
Nextnightwestuckapicture,whichTomdrawedinblood,ofaskullandcrossbonesonthefrontdoor;andnextnightanotheroneofacoffinonthebackdoor.Ineverseeafamilyinsuchasweat.
Theycouldn’tabeenworsescarediftheplacehadabeenfullofghostslayingforthembehindeverythingandunderthebedsandshiveringthroughtheair.
Ifadoorbanged,AuntSallyshejumpedandsaid“ouch!”
ifanythingfell,shejumpedandsaid“ouch!”
ifyouhappenedtotouchher,whenshewarn’tnoticing,shedonethesame;shecouldn’tfacenowayandbesatisfied,becausesheallowedtherewassomethingbehindhereverytime–soshewasalwaysa-whirlingaroundsudden,andsaying“ouch,”andbeforeshe’dgottwo-thirdsaroundshe’dwhirlbackagain,andsayitagain;andshewasafraidtogotobed,butshedasn’tsetup.
Sothethingwasworkingverywell,Tomsaid;hesaidheneverseeathingworkmoresatisfactory.Hesaiditshoweditwasdoneright.
Sohesaid,nowforthegrandbulge!Sotheverynextmorningatthestreakofdawnwegotanotherletterready,andwaswonderingwhatwebetterdowithit,becauseweheardthemsayatsuppertheywasgoingtohaveaniggeronwatchatbothdoorsallnight.
Tomhewentdownthelightning-rodtospyaround;andtheniggeratthebackdoorwasasleep,andhestuckitinthebackofhisneckandcomeback.Thislettersaid:
Don’tbetrayme,Iwishtobeyourfriend.
Thereisadesprategangofcut-throatsfromoverintheIndianTerritorygoingtostealyourrunawayniggerto-night,andtheyhavebeentryingtoscareyousoasyouwillstayinthehouseandnotbotherthem.
Iamoneofthegang,buthavegotreliggionandwishtoquititandleadanhonestlifeagain,andwillbetraythehelishdesign.
Theywillsneakdownfromnorthards,alongthefence,atmidnightexact,withafalsekey,andgointhenigger’scabintogethim.
IamtobeoffapieceandblowatinhornifIseeanydanger;butsteadofthatIwillBAlikeasheepsoonastheygetinandnotblowatall;thenwhilsttheyaregettinghischainsloose,youslipthereandlockthemin,andcankillthematyourleasure.
Don’tdoanythingbutjustthewayIamtellingyou;ifyoudotheywillsuspicionsomethingandraisewhoop-jamboreehoo.
IdonotwishanyrewardbuttoknowIhavedonetherightthing.UNKNOWNFRIEND.
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