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Sometimes the sailors waded on the submerged deck, giving rise to the superstition among the darkies that they were the crew of the "debble ship" with power to walk on the water. Norfolk was now being evacuated and we were covering Huger's retreat. When this was effected we were to receive the signal and to make our own way up the James.
They would make a most eternal disagreeable cargo shiftin' about amongst your ribs. May the devil grab me, ye moke, if I wouldn't rather swell up an' bust wid th' scurvy than swallow them fellows kickin'." "Bile 'em, white man," said the cook. "Bile 'em in er pint er water an' then fling 'em overboard. Who the debble would eat er roach?"
"That's the word?" "Not say 'debble'?" said Pomp wonderingly. "Why not, missus?" "It isn't a good word." "Mammy says 'debble. She calls me little debble when I run away, and don't tote in de wood." "I shall tell her not to use it. It isn't a good word for anybody to use." "Hope you'll tell her so, missus," said Pomp, grinning and showing his teeth.
"Yes, indeed that you is, honey; right to upholden your own dad nebber min' what he did to serbe the debble. But you looks mighty strange, chile, outen your eyes. Wat dat you sees ober dar is it a ship, gal? or must we " and her voice sank to a mutter "must we fall back on dis picaninny, to keep from starvation?
"Hain't you no bowels ob marcy fur yo' own flesh an' blood? Is you done persessed by de Debble, dat you treats dat pore lamb so, whut hain't done nuthin' but be true to her sweetheart?
Ol' Massa Waite was a sittin' straight up on de hoss, an' dat black debble was a standin' dar in front ob him. Ol' Massa Waite he was mad from de first jump off, an' I could heah most eberyt'ing he said, but Mr. Hawley he grin de same way he do when he deal faro, an' speaks kinder low. De ol' man he swear fine at him, he call him eberyt'ing a damn liar, a damn scoundrel but Mr.
"What dem?" demanded the black, quick as lightning. "Why, papers to make you your own master a free man you surely know what that means. Did you never hear of free niggers?" "Sartin awful poor debble, dey be, too. You catch Neb, one day, at being a free nigger, gib you leave to tell him of it, Masser Mile!" Here was another burst of laughter, that sounded like a chorus in merriment.
"Wheneber she calls me little debble she pulls off her shoe and hits me. Hurts like de debble. Mebbe she won't hit me if you tell her not to say 'debble." Mrs. Frost could hardly forbear laughing. She managed, however, to preserve a serious countenance while she said, "You must take care to behave well, and then she won't have to punish you."
He stood o-mouthed and absentminded, and only once shot a blue glance at his uncle to say: "But if dey're so baddy ... den why did God MAKE lies an' de debble?" which intelligent query hit the nail of one of Mahony's own misgivings on the head. No real depravity, was his verdict. Still, too much of a handful, it was plain, for Polly's inexperience. "A problem for John himself to tackle, my dear.
"Wal, I 'clar, now, jes de quarest ting ob 'bout all dis matter o' freedom is de way dat it sloshes roun' de names 'mong us cullud folks. H'yer I lib ober on de Hyco twenty year er mo' nobody but ole Marse Potem an' de Lor', an' p'raps de Debble beside, know 'zackly how long it mout hev been an' didn't hev but one name in all dat yer time.
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