But it was not in dreams alone that Mink came back to Joe. In more than
one way the negro played an important part in the lad's life on the
plantation. One evening about dusk, as Joe was going home, taking a
"near cut" through the Bermuda pasture, a tall form loomed up before
him, outlining itself against the sky.

"Howdy, little marster!'Tain't nobody but Mink. I des come ter tell you
dat ef you want anything out'n de woods des sen' me word by Harbert. I
got some pa'tridge-eggs here now. Deyer tied up in a rag, but dat don't
hurt um. Ef you'll des spread out yo' hank'cher I'll put um in it."

"Haven't you gone home yet?" asked Joe, as he held out his handkerchief.

"Lord, no, suh!" exclaimed the negro. "De boys say dat de overseer say
he waitin' fer Mink wid a club."There were four dozen of these eggs, and Joe and Mr. Snelson enjoyed them hugely. From that time forward, in one way and another, Joe Maxwell kept in communication with Mink. The lad was not too young to observe that the negroes on the plantation treated him with more consideration than they showed to other white people with the exception of their master. There was nothing they were not ready to do for him at any time of day or night. The secret of it was explained by Har-bert, the man-of-all-work around the "big house."

"Marse Joe," said Harbert one day, "I wuz gwine'long de road de udder night an' I met a great big nigger man. Dish yer nigger man took an' stop me, he did, an' he'low, 'Dey's a little white boy on y o' place which I want you fer ter keep yo' two eyes on 'im, an' when he say come, you come, an' when he say go, you go.' I'low, 'hey, big nigger man! what de matter?' an' he 'spon' back, 'I done tole you, an' I ain't gwine tell you no mo'. So dar you got it, Marse Joe, an' dat de way it stan's."

And so it happened that, humble as these negroes were, they had it in their power to smooth many a rough place in Joe Maxwell's life. The negro women looked after him with almost motherly care, and pursued him with kindness, while the men were always ready to contribute to his pleasure.

CHAPTER III--TRACKING A RUNAWAY

One Sunday morning, not long after Joe's adventure with Mink, Harbert came to him with a serious face.

"Marse Joe," he said, "dey er gwine ter ketch Mink dis time."

 Prev. P 14/111 next