is right hyar."

"Summer and winter?" asked Tom.

"Summer and winter dat peak is right hyar. Den I knows it is fo' o'clock
and den I blows de horn."

Tom wanted to ask him whether or not the sun was always in the same
place summer and winter, but gave it up when he heard the sound of the
negroes' voices raised in a rude sort of a plantation melody coming from
the woods, for he knew that supper was close at hand. Nearer came the
strains, and in the short space of half an hour the cavalcade streamed
into view. What a lively set they were then! One would have thought that
cutting wood was the happiest part of a darky's life. Keeping up their
song, they slipped off the wagon, leaving the teamsters to take care of
the mules. The overseer came into the cabin, and after exchanging a
merry salutation with Tom, remarking that he and the darkies had
performed a task that day that would have done credit to a bigger force
than his, he cleared the table in readiness for supper. The articles
that adorned the back of the chair were cast upon the trunk, the
unwashed apparel on the table was swept off and thrown on the top of
them, and then the overseer was ready for a smoke.

"Yes, sir, me and the niggers have done a heap of work," said the man,
seating himself on the threshold by Tom's side. "They were taking it
easy when you came along, just as I mean that all black ones shall who
work under me, but perked up a bit and went to work right smart. Aint
they happy now? Every one singing at the top of his voice."

Supper being over, which consisted of corn bread, bacon, and tea, Tom
spent two hours in conversation with the overseer, until, as he was
relating a story of his personal experience, an audible snore came from
his direction, and, facing about, he found that his auditor had gone
fast asleep, stretched out on the floor, and using the back of his chair
for a pillow. It wasn't dark yet, by a long ways, and the sounds that
came from the camp of the negroes told him that there was a heap of fun
going on there; but as it seemed to be the rule to go to slumber
whenever he was ready, Tom went to the overseer's bed and climbed into
it.

It seemed to him that he had scarcely closed his eyes when someone laid
a hand upon his shoulder and shouted in his ear that the _Jennie June_
was at the landing and taking on a load of wood. That was enough for
Tom, who wanted to get into a bed where he could take his clothes off.
When he got his