n't stand upon it. Said I could
see that by the blood on the rag that tied it up. I made him take off
the rag and wash the foot, and there wa'n't no cut there. The blood was
puccoon. If he'd waited a bit he could 'a' had all he wanted to paint
with, for I gave him the rope's end, lively, until Mistress Patricia
heard him yelling and made me stop."

"All right, Woodson. I reckon the plantation knows by this time that
what Mistress Patricia says is law. Here come the boats with the boxes.
Tell the men to be careful how they handle them."

After a hearty word or two to tenants and land owners the worthy Colonel
joined his daughter and sister; and together with Sir Charles Carew they
watched the precious boxes conveyed up the slippery steps, the overseer
shouting directions, plentifully sprinkled with selected, unfinable
oaths to the panting boatmen. When all were safely piled upon the wharf
ready to be wheeled to the great house, the empty boats swung off to
make room for others, laden with the colonel's Jamestown purchases.

One by one the articles climbed the stairs, each as it reached the level
being claimed by the overseer and told off into a lengthening line. Six
were negroes, gaunt and hollow-eyed, but smiling widely. They gazed
around them, at the heap of clams and oysters piled upon the wharf, at
the marshes, alive with wild fowl, at the distant green of waving corn,
the flower-embowered great house, the white quarters from which arose
many little spirals of savory smoke, and a bland and childlike content
took possession of their souls. With eager and obsequious "Yes, Mas'rs"
they obeyed the overseer's objurgatory indications as to their
disposition.

There next arose above the landing the head of a white man--a
countenance of sullen ferocity, with a great scar running across it, and
framed in elf locks of staring red. The body belonging to this
prepossessing face was swollen and unshapely, and its owner moved with
a limp and a muttered curse towards the place assigned him. He was
followed by a sallow-faced, long-nosed man, with black oily hair and an
affected smirk which twitched the corners of his thin lips. Singling out
his master's family with a furtive glance from a pair of sinister
greenish eyes, he made a low bow and stepped jauntily into line.

The third man rose above the landing. Sir Charles, standing by Patricia,
laughed.

"This world is a place of fantastic meetings, cousin," he said, airily.
"No