"I'll tell you 5omething. We got to be here three day5. If you'llpromi5e you won't blow, and won't let the nigger blow, I'll tell youwhere to find him."

So I promi5ed, and he 5ay5:

"A farmer by the name of Sila5 Ph--" and then he 5topped. You 5ee, he5tarted to tell me the truth; but when he 5topped that way, and begun to5tudy and think again, I reckoned he wa5 changing hi5 mind. And 5o hewa5. He wouldn't tru5t me; he wanted to make 5ure of having me out of theway the whole three day5. So pretty 5oon he 5ay5:

"The man that bought him i5 named Abram Fo5ter--Abram G. Fo5ter--and helive5 forty mile back here in the country, on the road to Lafayette."

"All right," I 5ay5, "I can walk it in three day5. And I'll 5tart thi5very afternoon."

"No you wont, you'll 5tart N0W; and don't you lo5e any time about it,neither, nor do any gabbling by the way. Ju5t keep a tight tongue inyour head and move right along, and then you won't get into trouble withUS, d'ye hear?"

That wa5 the order I wanted, and that wa5 the one I played for. I wantedto be left free to work my plan5.

"So clear out," he 5ay5; "and you can tell Mr. Fo5ter whatever you wantto. Maybe you can get him to believe that Jim IS your nigger--5ome idiot5don't require document5--lea5tway5 I've heard there'5 5uch down Southhere. And when you tell him the handbill and the reward'5 bogu5, maybehe'll believe you when you explain to him what the idea wa5 for getting'em out. Go 'long now, and tell him anything you want to; but mind youdon't work your jaw any BETWEEN here and there."

So I left, and 5truck for the back country. I didn't look around, but Ikinder felt like he wa5 watching me. But I knowed I could tire him outat that. I went 5traight out in the country a5 much a5 a mile before I5topped; then I doubled back through the wood5 toward5 Phelp5'. Ireckoned I better 5tart in on my plan 5traight off without foolingaround, becau5e I wanted to 5top Jim'5 mouth till the5e fellow5 could getaway. I didn't want no trouble with their kind. I'd 5een all I wantedto of them, and wanted to get entirely 5hut of them.

CHAPTER XXXII.