rt of it.
I've seen many squalls, old fellow, both on land and on the water, but
never did I feel one as lively and as snappish as that which come down
upon us, night afore last, in the shape of an Indian hurrah-boys! Why,
Hetty, you're no great matter at a reason, or an idee that lies a little
deeper than common, but you're human and have some human notions--now
I'll just ask you to look at them circumstances. Here was old Tom, your
father, and myself, bent on a legal operation, as is to be seen in the
words of the law and the proclamation; thinking no harm; when we were
set upon by critturs that were more like a pack of hungry wolves than
mortal savages even, and there they had us tethered like two sheep, in
less time than it has taken me to tell you the story."

"You are free now, Hurry," returned Hetty, glancing timidly at the fine
unfettered limbs of the young giant--"You have no cords, or withes, to
pain your arms, or legs, now."

"Not I, Hetty. Natur' is natur', and freedom is natur', too. My limbs
have a free look, but that's pretty much the amount of it, sin' I can't
use them in the way I should like. Even these trees have eyes; ay, and
tongues too; for was the old man, here, or I, to start one single rod
beyond our gaol limits, sarvice would be put on the bail afore we could
'gird up our loins' for a race, and, like as not, four or five rifle
bullets would be travelling arter us, carrying so many invitations to
curb our impatience. There isn't a gaol in the colony as tight as this
we are now in; for I've tried the vartues of two or three on 'em, and I
know the mater'als they are made of, as well as the men that made 'em;
takin' down being the next step in schoolin', to puttin' up, in all such
fabrications."

Lest the reader should get an exaggerated opinion of Hurry's demerits
from this boastful and indiscreet revelation, it may be well to say that
his offences were confined to assaults and batteries, for several
of which he had been imprisoned, when, as he has just said, he often
escaped by demonstrating the flimsiness of the constructions in which he
was confined, by opening for himself doors in spots where the architects
had neglected to place them. But Hetty had no knowledge of gaols, and
little of the nature of crimes, beyond what her unadulterated and almost
instinctive perceptions of right and wrong taught her, and this sally
of the rude being who had spoken was lost upon her. She understood his
gene