— — ee a oo

342 UNCLE TOM’S CABIN; OR,

being arranged, they only waited a fitting opportunity to put their
plan in execution.

By cajoling Legree, and taking advantage of a good-natured
interval, Cassy had got him to take her with him to the neigh-
bouring town, which was situated directly on the Red River.
With a memory sharpened to almost preternatural clearness, she
remarked every turn in the road, and formed a mental estimate
of the time to be occupied in traversing it.

At the time when all was matured for action, our readers may,
perhaps, like to look behind the scenes, and see the final coup
d ‘état.

It was now near evening. Legree had been absent, on a ride
to a neighbouring farm. For many days Cassy had been unusually
gracious and accommodating in her humours; and Legree and
she had been, apparently, on the best of terms. At present, we.
may behold her and Emmeline in the room of the latter, busy in
sorting and arranging two small bundles.

“There, these will be large enough,” said Cassy. ‘ Now put
on your bonnet, and let’s start: it’s just about the right time.”

‘* Why, they can see us yet,” said Emmeline.

‘I mean they shall,” said Cassy coolly. “Don’t you know
that they must have their chase after us, at any rate? The way
of the thing is to be just this. We will steal out of the back
door, and run down by the quarters. Sambo or Quimbo will be
sure to see us. They will give chase, and we will get into the
swamp; then, they can’t follow us any further till they go up and
give the alarm, and turn out the dogs, and so on; and, while
they are blundering round, and tumbling over each other, as they
always do, you and I will just slip along to the creek that runs
back of the house, and wade along in it till we get opposite the
back door. That will put the dogs all at fault; for scent won't
lie in the water. Everyone will run out of the house to look after
us, and then we'll whip in at the back door, and up into the
garret, where I’ve got a nice bed made up in one of the great
boxes. We must stay in. that garret a good while; for, I tell you,
he4vill raise heaven and earth after us. He'll muster some of
those old overseers on the other plantations, and have a great
hunt ; and they'll go over every inch of ground in that swamp.
He makes it his boast that nobody ever got away from him. So
let him hunt at his leisure.”

‘Cassy, how well you have planned it!” said Emmeline.
‘‘ Who ever would have thought of it but you ?”

There was neither pleasure nor exultation in Cassy’s eyes—
only a despairing firmness.

‘‘ Come,” she said, reaching her hand to Emmeline.

The two fugitives glided noiselessly from the house, and fitted,
through the gathering shadows of evening, along by the quarters.
The crescent moon, set like a silver signet in the western sky,