m in Virginia.

"Bought? Consarn my bones! How much did he give for you? Look here,
Sambo, if I was a Roman general, like you, and in your fix," said
Byle, pointing with his left thumb over his right shoulder and
winking, "I'd skite over to the Buckeye-side of the water and forget
to pay for myself. Don't you know what the Ordinance of '87 says? 'No
involuntary servitude in said territory.' I agree with John Woolman,
that niggers are our feller-creatures."

Turning abruptly, the tall man moved with long, slow strides in the
direction of the white house with green shutters, talking continually,
more to himself than to the perplexed negro who followed at his heels.

"Wonder how things are growing in the front yard? By gum! that's a
fine Italian poplar! Guess the old Coot's at home. Maybe that
youngster is one of the little Bladderhatchets! Say, sonny, come this
way."

The sentence was addressed to a lad, who, bounding from the portico,
ran nimbly toward the intruder. The boy was prettily attired in a
military costume, and wore a toy sword at his side and a gay feather
in his cap. He was followed by a brother smaller and much less jaunty.

"What might your name be, now, bub? By crackey, you've come out in
full blossom, haven't you, like a red-bud bush? What do you say your
name is?"

"Dominick."

"Dominick, hey? I've seen many a young dominick rooster, but I never
saw one with finer feathers than yours. Suppose you flap your wings,
and crow for us, like a fighting cockerel."

"I'll not crow; I'll stick my sword through you!"

"Jerusalem artichokes! He wants to kill me with his tin sword!
Dominick, I give in. If your pappy is about the house, tell him to
come out; a gentleman wants to ask him something."

Before a summons could be served on Mr. Harman Blennerhassett, that
person appeared emerging from a wing of the long porch. Being
extremely near-sighted, he could not distinctly see the man who
awaited him until the distance between the two was diminished to a few
steps. The uninvited guest without ceremony opened conversation.

"How d'ye do? I am Mr. Byle--B-y-l-e--Plutarch Byle. Of course
everybody knows you by reputation, Mr. Bladderhatchet--"

"Blennerhassett."

"It's a prodigious long name, ain't it? Too long, in my opinion. You
can have it shortened by law. I'm told you're from Ireland. You don't
look much Irish, nor you haven't a bad brogue. I s'pose you've got
your naturalization papers all right.