r mouth, shut her eyes, threw
back her head, and chuckled.

"No," she said, with sudden gravity; "if we drink'd it all we'd all
bu'st right off. I pounds it, Missis Lilly sells it, an' massa pockets
de money."

"Do you pound much?" asked Hester, in a tone of sympathy.

"Oh! housefuls," said Sally, opening her eyes wide. "'Gin at daylight--
work till dark, 'cept when doin' oder t'ings. De Moors drink it.
Awrful drinkers am de Moors. Mornin', noon, an' night dey swill leetle
cups ob coffee. Das de reason dey's all so brown."

"Indeed? I never heard before that the brown-ness of their complexion
was owing to that. Are you sure?"

"Oh yes; kite sure. Coffee comes troo de skin--das it," returned Sally,
with perfect confidence of tone and manner.

Suddenly she was smitten with a new idea, and stared for some time at
her fellow-slave. At last she got it out.

"Missis Lilly say dat you's dumb. How kin you speak so well if you's
dumb?"

Poor Hester was greatly perplexed. She did not know how far her
companion had been let into the secret reason of her being there, and
was afraid to answer. At last she made up her mind.

"I am not really dumb, you know; I have only to be dumb when in the
street, or when any visitor is in the house here; but when alone with
Mrs Lilly or you I am allowed to speak low."

A gleam of intelligence beamed on the black girl's face as she said,
"No, you's not dumb. Moreober, you's not black!"

"Oh, Sally!" exclaimed Hester, in quite a frightened tone; "how did you
find that out?"

"Hasn't I got eyes an' ears?" demanded Sally. "Your voice ain't nigger,
your 'plexion ain't nigger, an' your mout' an' nose ain't nigger. Does
you t'ink Sally's an ass?"

"No, indeed, I am sure you are not; but--but, you--you won't betray me,
Sally?"

"Whas dat?"

"You won't tell upon me? Oh, you can't think what dreadful punishment I
shall get if I am found out! You won't tell on me, _dear_ Sally--won't
you not?" entreated Hester, with tears in her eyes.

"Dere, stop dat! Don't cry! Das wuss dan speakin', for de tearz'll
wash all de black off your face! Tell on you? Dee see dat?"

Hester certainly did see "dat," for Sally had suddenly protruded we fear
to say how many inches of red flesh from her mouth.

"I cut dat off wid de carvin'-knife sooner dan tell on you, for you's my
fri'nd, because Peter de Great am your fri'nd. But you muss be dumb--
dumb as you kin, anyhow--an' you mus'