house, where there
was a fire in the fireplace and a cupboard with all that I needed. Well,
sir, not to tire you, I made a nursing-bottle for the baby and fed it.
And then I got something for my own supper, or, rather, breakfast, for
it was now near the dawn of day. Well, sir, I thought I would try to get
out and look about myself to see what the neighborhood looked like by
daylight, but when I tried the door I found myself locked up a close
prisoner. I looked out of the window and saw nothing but a little back
yard, closed in by the woods. I tried to raise the sash, but it was
nailed down. The black-headed monster came in just about that minute,
and seeing what I was a-doing of, says he:

"'Stop that!'

"'What am I stopped here for?' says I; 'a free 'oman,' says I, a-'vented
of going about her own business?' says I.

"But he only laughed a loud, crackling, scornful laugh, and went out,
turning the key after him.

"A little after sunrise an old, dried-up, spiteful looking hag of a
woman came in and began to get breakfast.

"'What am I kept here for?' says I to her.

"But she took no notice at all; nor could I get so much as a single word
outen her. In fact, master, the little 'oman was deaf an' dumb.

"Well, sir, to be short, I was kept in that place all day long, and when
night come I was druv into a shay at the point of the pistil, and
rattled along as fast as the horses could gallop over a road as I knew
nothing of. We changed horses wunst or twict, and just about the dawn of
day we come to a broad river with a vessel laying to, not far from the
shore.

"As soon as the shay druv down on the sands, the willain as had run away
with me puts a pipe to his willainous mouth and blows like mad. Somebody
else blowed back from the wessel. Then a boat was put off and rowed
ashore. I was forced to get into it, and was follered by the willain. We
was rowed to the wessel, and I was druv up the ladder on to the decks.
And there, master, right afore my own looking eyes, me and the baby was
traded off to the captain! It was no use for me to 'splain or
'spostulate. I wasn't b'lieved. The willain as had stole me got back
into the boat and went ashore, and I saw him get into the shay and drive
away. It was no use for me to howl and cry, though I did both, for I
couldn't even hear myself for the swearing of the captain and the noise
of the crew, as they was a gettin' of the wessel under way. Well, sir,
we sailed down that rive