o!" He deemed it discreet, however, to confine the expression of
his enthusiasm to a tight grasp on Carl's sympathetic hand, and to watch
the effect of the speech on the rest.

"Deslow," laughed Stackridge, himself not ill pleased with Pomp's
arguments, "what do you say to that?"

"Wal," said Deslow, "I never thought on't in just that light before; and
I own he makes out a pooty good show of a case. But yet--" He hesitated,
scratching for an idea among the stiff black hair that grew on his low,
wrinkled forehead.

"But yet, but yet, but yet!" said Pomp, ironically. "It's so hard, when
our selfish interests are at stake, to confess our injustice or give up
a bad cause! But I did not come here to argue my right to my own
manhood. I take it without arguing. Neither did I come to ask anything
for myself. You can do nothing for me but get me into trouble. Yet I
believe in the cause in which you have taken up arms. I have served you
this morning without being asked by you to do it; and I may assist you
again when the time comes. In the mean while, if you want anything that
I have, it is yours; for I recognize that we are brothers, though you do
not. But I will not join you, for I am neither slave nor inferior, and I
have no wish to be acknowledged an equal." And Pomp stepped off the rock
with an air that seemed to say, "_I_ know who is the equal of the best
of you; and that is enough." If this man had any fault more prominent
than another, it was pride; yet that haughty self-assertion which would
have been offensive in a white man, was vastly becoming to the haughty
and powerful black.

"I, for one," said the impulsive Stackridge, again grasping his hand,
"honor the position you take. What I wanted was to thank you for what
you have done, and to promise that you are safe from danger as far as
regards us. I'm glad you've got your liberty. I hope you will keep it.
You deserve it. Every slave deserves the same that has the manliness to
strike a blow for the good old government----"

"That has kept him a slave," added Pomp, with a bitter smile.

"Yes; and so much the more noble in him to fight for it!" said
Stackridge. "Now, if you don't want to let us into the secrets of your
way of life, I can't say I blame ye. We're glad to get the coffee; and
if you've any game or potatoes on hand, that you can spare, we'll take
'em, and pay ye when we have a chance to forage for ourselves, which
won't be long first."

"I have some sa