se, all through my unfortunate shirt tail. The first
thing I thought of now was revenge. Take your comfort, niggers now, said I
to myself, for sorrow shall be yours in the morning, so I took out my
knife and went round the fence and cut every horse loose, and they all ran
away. I then got on my horse and set off home. As I rode on I thought to
myself--I only wish I could be somewhere close enough to see how those
negroes will act when they come out and find all their horses gone. And
then I laughed right out when I thought of the sport they had had out of
my misfortune, and that some were ten to twelve, and some fifteen miles
away from home. Well, thought I, your masters will have to reckon with you
to-morrow; you have had glad hearts to-night at my expense, but you will
have sore backs to-morrow at your own. Now, when I got home, the stable
was in a very bad situation, and I was afraid to bring my horse in until I
could strike a light. When this was done, I took the saddle and bridle off
outside. No sooner had I done this than my horse reared over the bars and
ran away into the meadow. I chased him till daylight, and for my life I
could not catch him. My feelings now may be better imagined than
described. When the reader remembers that this horse, with all the rest,
master had seen clean at six o'clock the night before, and all safe in the
stable, and now to see him in the meadow, with all the marks of having
been driven somewhere and by somebody, what excuse could I make, or what
story could I invent in order to save my poor back from that awful
flogging which I knew must be the result of the revelation of the truth. I
studied and tried, but could think of no lie that would stand muster. At
last I went into the stable and turned all the rest out, and left the
stable door open, and creeping into the house, took off my fine clothes
and put on those which I had been wearing all the week, and laid myself
down on my straw. I had not lain long before I heard master shouting for
me, for all those horses, eight in number, were under my care; and
although he shouted for me at the top of his voice, I lay still and
pretended not to hear him; but soon after I heard a light step coming up
stairs, and a rap at my door--then I commenced to snore as loud as
possible, still the knocking continued. At last I pretended to awake, and
called out, who's there--that you, Lizzy? oh my! what's up, what time is
it, and so on. Lizzy said master wa