Down the River; Or, Buck Bradford and His Tyrants

amount of food. I pitied him, as I did any one who was kept on short allowance, and I hastened to the house as quickly as I could, in order

sun herself in the smiles of the senator. She never liked to be left at home when there was anything going on. In the buttery I found plenty of cooked provisions; for, whatever else may be s

ham left. I took a paper bag, and put into it half the meat and as much cold corned beef as would have fed me for two days, with a plentiful supply of biscuits, crackers, and brown brea

asser-by. Sim looked piteously sad and sorrowful; he glanced wistfully at the paper bag, and seemed to begrudge every moment of delay. At the tree, I took out the content

as soon as I had spr

replied he, warmly. "I knowed you'd help m

s in the eating. Though I was amused at his greediness, and enjoyed his appetite almost as much as he did himself, I did not wish to embarrass him; and, mounting the fallen tree, I walked upon its trunk

cannot exactly explain how it was, but that pile of senseless lumber seemed, in some indefinite manner, to connect itself with my affairs at the house. The thrashing I had just rece

ake a trip in her. Ever since my brother wrote that he should take us down to New Orleans in the fall, I had looked forward with intense joy to the voyage down the r

only my poor sister had prevented me from acting upon the suggestion. I had some money now. Why could I not go, and take her with me? But I had not enough to pay our fares

one so loud that Sim was disturb

e, with his mouth filled with food, his j

k to me, Buck

ied, walking

he felt it to be a duty to eat all he could; but he had already disposed of the majo

" added Sim, jumbling the word

I hav

of victuals I've had for a year

get hung

the rest of

that is gone, I will

you'd help me, and that's w

that before. Now, Sim,

w," he repli

kspear's. Are you

at's what I wante

y idea what you

he world. That's what I want

ish to do

don't make no difference to me. I shan't g

work hard for enough to eat. He was not a dandy, and the clothe

g to run away

y's?" he demanded,

rom Fis

give you eno

ent

d, if the provision question was all right, he did not

ell, and they don't

ive you eno

y brother Clarence is going to take us away in the fa

one of the wales of the cowhide whi

rags from his shoulder, and exhibiting some marks like my own. "I don'

as all stomach. Blows were n

been since yes

looking for som

t build a ra

his eyes, as he always did when

Do you see those

ee t

ith a house on it,-a place to live in,

his mouth wide enough to take

on the raft, we must

ugh?" he asked,

have all

!" sho

about it, and not s

of sight, or Barkspear will catch me.

se ready for you to live in; and I

s all

e raft, and I will

ght till dark, if I onl

building it; and really this was all I expected to do. If worse came to worst, I could get away from the town with my sister better by the way of the swamp than by the road. I explained to Sim more clearly what I intended to do, and how to construct the raft. H

winter term had closed, and the summer one had not commenced, and I had nothing to do but work about the place. I went into the house, and talk

o all they tell me, Flora," I replie

y sister. Captain Fishley gave me an ugly look; but I knew he would not say anything before his brother, and he did not. He t

ds of ten-penny nails. I wrote down the articles on a piece of paper, and carried it, with the five-dollar bill taken from my roll, to the captain. He gave me the change, without knowing