De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had
two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up
son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid
ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away,
and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor
plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try
to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De
Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was
ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty
strong himself, massa?"
"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many
men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can."
"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always
carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no
chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty
free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once,
'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like
de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear
awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to
larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting,
but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son
go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out
and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy
hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite
close and shake him fist in Jake's face.
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