to see?"

She unlocked the padlock, and stepped up the ladder. At the pen door she
peeped, but could not make out anything in the blackness. Then she
pulled the peg out of the staple, and walked into the sickly odor of the
jail.

"How many are here?" Hulda asked. "I hear you, but cannot see."

"Three men, one old woman, and some little things, makes the present
contents of Pangymonum," spoke up a rough, cheery voice, "an', by smoke!
it's jess enough."

"Is it the white man that talks?"

"He says he's white, but they think it's goin' to be easy hokey-pokey to
pass him off for a nigger."

Her eyes soon recognized the speaker as he said, "By smoke! miss, you're
not much like a Johnson. I reckon you're Huldy."

"Yes, and you, sir?"

"I was Jimmy Phoebus before I was a nigger."

The girl went rapidly up to him, and put her arms around him.

"Thank God!" she said, "you are not dead. Levin Dennis, my dear friend,
wept to think you were at the river bottom. But, quick, sir; I may be
caught here. Are you all true to each other?"

"Yes, the traitor's cut his wizzen. Speak out, Huldy!"

"I heard Patty Cannon mutter that she was going to set her black man
free to kidnap for her. Hark! I must fly."

Hulda descended the ladder in time to surprise Cy James coming up. He
bent his goose neck down as he leaned his hands upon his knees, and,
looking up into her face, ejaculated,

"Hokey-pokey! By smoke! And Pangymonum, too."

* * * * *

"Samson," said Jimmy Phoebus, as soon as Hulda disappeared, "git
ready to be a first-class liar; I want you to take up Patty Cannon's
offer."

"An' leave you yer alone, Jimmy? I can't do it."

"Don't be a fool, Samson. Ironed here, we can't help nobody. Make your
way to Seaford and Georgetown, and go round the Cypress Swamp to
Prencess Anne. Alarm the pungy captains; fur Johnson'll try to run us by
sail, I reckon, down the bay to Norfolk. I've got a file that
cymlin-headed feller give me, an' I reckon I'll git out of my irons
about the time you git to Judge Custis's. There! ole Patty's coming."

"Go, Samson," spoke the Delaware colored man. "I'm younger than you, and
I'll fight as heartily under Mr. Phoebus's orders."

Aunt Hominy's voice came in blank monologue out of the background:

"He tuk dat debbil's hat, chillen, an' measured us in wid little Vessy."

* * * * *

That evening there was a long, free conference