dis long time, but I didn't do
no hopin' kase it didn't seem no use. But bress yer! De Lohd seems 'bout
ter lead me outen de valley ob de shadder. Massa Cap'n say sumtime we all
be free, but dat's too much ter hope fer."

"No; it isn't, Tenny. The people up North are talking about it all the
time and working for it. I should not be surprised if it were to happen
any time."

"Glory!" shouted the old woman rapturously. "Den dere wouldn't be no mo'
whippin's, ner chilluns sold frum der mammies, ner hidin's in de swamp
wid de dogs arter yer, ner put in jail ef yer does run away. Oh, chile,
it'll be de bressed day ef it do happen! But it can't be true."

"Hope for it, Tenny. That is what we are doing, but it grows late and I
believe that I am tired. Would you mind going with me to the cabin while I
go to bed? Someway I feel lonesome to-night."

"'Course yer lonesum. Way offen yer folks laik dis. Suttinly I'll go an'
only too glad. Ole Tenny'll put yer ter bed laik she wuz yer own mammy."
She bustled about the girl when they reached the latter's stateroom and
soon had Jeanne snugly in bed. "Dis hyar winda'll gib yer air," she said
opening it. "Yer needn't be afeerd kase it opens on de ribba, and nobody
can't git in. Now shet dem eyes ob yourn, and go ter sleep."

She sat by the girl's side and began crooning weirdly. The wild barbaric
melody rising and falling in a sort of rhythm with the motion of the boat.
Jeanne listened fascinated by the music and presently her eyes became
heavy and soon she was fast asleep.

On and on down the tortuous curves of the river The Gem wended her way
until at last she came in sight of the flotilla under the command of
Commodore Davis. A shout went up from the fleet as the men caught sight
of the transport, and there was a scramble for her sides as she hove
to alongside of the flagship of the Commodore.

Jeanne kept herself in readiness to be transferred to one of the gunboats,
for Captain Leathers had told her that he did not expect to go farther.
Soon he returned from a visit to the flagship.

"Commodore Davis says that it will not be advisable for you to come aboard
any one of his ships as there are many cases of fever among the men," he
said, coming at once to the waiting girl. "Both Commodore Farragut's force
and his own are down with it. They intend withdrawing from the assault on
Vicksburg as they have received orders to that effect from Washington.
Therefore Davis will retire to