e word. De news'll come all in good time. An' news allers comes
in a heap--suddently, so to speak. It _neber_ comes slow. Now, look
yar. I wants you to make me a solum promise."

"What is that?" asked Hester, smiling in spite of herself at the
intensity of her dark friend's look and manner.

"It am dis. Dat you will neber look surprised, nor speak surprised, no
matter howeber much you may _feel_ surprised."

"You impose a difficult task on me, Peter."

"Ob course I do, Geo'giana, but as your life--an' p'r'aps mine, but dat
ain't much--depends on it, you'll see de needcessity."

"I will certainly try--for your sake as well as my own," returned Hester
fervently.

"Well, I t'ink you will, but it ain't easy, an' I'll test you some day."

It was more than a month after that before Peter the Great paid her
another visit, and, to the poor girl's grief, he still came without news
of her father. He had been all over the Kasba, he said, and many other
places where the slaves worked, but he meant to persevere. The city was
big, and it would take time, but "Geo'giana" was to cheer up, for he
would _neber_ gib in.

One morning Peter announced to Foster that he was going into town to
make purchases, and he wanted his assistance to carry the basket.

"Are we going to make another search for poor Mr Sommers?" asked the
middy, as he walked along the road holding one handle of the empty
basket.

"No, we's got no time for dat to-day. I mus' be back early. Got time
on'y for one call on a friend ob mine. Das all."

As the negro did not seem inclined for conversation, Foster forebore to
trouble him, but observed, without remarking on the circumstance, that,
instead of taking their accustomed way to the market-place, they passed
along many narrow, steep, and intricate streets until they reached what
the midshipman conceived to be the very heart of the city.

"Dis am de house ob my friend," said Peter, stopping in front of an
opening which descended into a cellar. "Foller me, Geo'ge, an' bring
down de baskit wid you. Hallo, Missis Lilly! Is you widin?"

"Hi! Das you, Peter de Great?" came in shrill tones from below as they
descended.

"Dumb!" exclaimed Peter, with peculiar emphasis on reaching the cellar.
"How you do, Missis Lilly? Oberjoyed to see you lookin' so fresh. Just
looked in to ax how you's gettin' along."

Need we say that Peter's warning word was not thrown away on Hester
Sommers, who was seated i