can lie concealed until it
is dark again. Do you know any such place?"

He scratched his head, muttering something to himself; then turned half
about, exhibiting a line of ivories.

"On de Illinois shore, sah? Le's see; thar's Rassuer Creek, 'bout
twenty mile up. 'Tain't so awful big et the mouth, but I reckon we
mought pole up fer 'nough ter git outer sight. Ah spects you all knows
whut yer a headin' fer?"

"To a certain extent--yes; but we had to decide on this action very
quickly, with no chance to plan it out. I am aiming at the mouth of
the Illinois."

He glanced about at me again, vainly endeavoring to decipher my
expression in the gloom.

"De Illinois ribber, boss; what yer hope fer ter find thar?"

"A certain man I've heard about. Did you ever happen to hear a white
man mentioned who lives near there? His name is Amos Shrunk?"

I could scarcely distinguish his eyes, but I could feel them. I
thought for a moment he would not answer.

"Yer'l surely excuse me, sah," he said at last, humbly, his voice with
a note of pleading in it. "Ah's feelin' friendly 'nough, an' all dat,
sah, but still yer mus' 'member dat Ah's talkin' ter a perfict
stranger. If yer wud sure tell me furst just whut yer was aimin' at,
then maybe Ah'd know a heap mor'n Ah do now."

"I guess you are right, Sam. I'll tell you the whole of it. I am
endeavoring to help this young woman to escape from those men back
yonder. You must know why they were there; no doubt you overhead them
talk coming up?"

"Yas, sah; Massa Donaldson he was goin' up fer ter serve sum papers fer
Massa Kirby, so he cud run off de Beaucaire niggers. But dis yere
gal, she ain't no nigger--she's just a white pusson."

"She is a slave under the law," I said, gravely, as she made no effort
to move, "and the man, Kirby, claims her."

I could see his mouth fly open, but the surprise of this statement
halted his efforts at speech.

"That explains the whole situation," I went on. "Now will you answer
me?"

"'Bout dis yere Massa Shrunk?"

"Yes--you have heard of him before?"

"Ah reckon as how maybe Ah has, sah. Mos' all de niggers down dis way
has bin tol' 'bout him--som'how dey has, sah."

"So I thought. Well, do you know where he can be found?"

"Not perzackly, sah. Ah ain't never onct bin thar, but Ah sorter seems
fer ter recollec' sum'thin' 'bout whar he mought be. Ah reckon maybe
Ah cud go thar, if Ah just hed to. Ah reckon if yer all