r.

"Why don't you speak?" And Silas gave his arm a fierce wrench.

"Vat did you say?"

"I said, you lying rascal!----"

"That is not my name," said Carl, "and I tought you vas shpeaking to
somebody else. I tought you vas conwersing mit this man," pointing at
the fellow on the bed.

"Dan Pepperill!" said Silas, turning angrily on the recumbent figure,
"what are you stretching your lazy bones thar fur? We're waiting fur
them feathers, and you'll git a coat yourself, if you don't show a
little more of the sperrit of a gentleman! You don't act as if your
heart was in this yer act of dooty we're performin', any more'n as if
you was a northern mudsill yourself!"

"Wal, the truth is," said Dan Pepperill, reluctantly getting up from the
bed, and preparing to shoulder it, "the schoolmaster has allus treated
me well, and though I hate his principles,----"

"You don't hate his principles, neither! You're more'n half a
abolitionist yourself! And I swear to gosh," said Silas, "if you don't
do your part now----"

"I will! I'm a-going to!" said Dan, with something like a groan.
"Though, as I said, he has allus used me well----"

"Shet up!" Silas administered a kick, which Dan adroitly caught in the
bed. Mr. Ropes got his foot embarrassed in the feathers, lost his
balance, and fell. Dan, either by mistake or design, fell also, tumbling
the bed in a smothering mass over the screaming mouth and coarse red
nose of the prostrate Silas.

The third man, who was guarding Carl, began to laugh. Carl laughed too,
as if it was the greatest joke in the world; to enhance the fun of
which, he gave his man a sudden push forwards, tripped him as he went,
and so flung him headlong upon the struggling heap. This pleasant feat
accomplished, he turned to run; but changed his mind almost instantly;
and, instead of plunging into the undergrowth, threw himself upon the
accumulating pile.

There he scrambled, and kicked, with his heels in the air, and rolled
over the topmost man, who rolled over Mr. Pepperill, who rolled over the
feather-bed, which rolled again over Mr. Ropes, in a most lively and
edifying manner.

At this interesting juncture Carl's reason for changing his mind and
remaining, became manifest. Two more of the chivalry from the tar kettle
came rushing to the spot, and would speedily have seized him had he
attempted to get off. So he staid, thinking he might be helping the
master in this way as well as any other.

And now the