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Dis sure am de spot, all right an' dar's got ter be a trail 'round yere sumwhar." Rene remained motionless, her eyes searching the shadows, as though half frightened at finding herself in such dismal surroundings. The girl's face appeared white and drawn in that twilight.
"I reckon he's skeered half ter death in the furst place, an' then thar's sumthin' wrong with him enyhow. Maybe I kin give ye the main pints. Them thar fellers belonged ter Cap. Hough's company frum down Edwardsville way greener then grass, most ov 'em. They'd cum up frum sumwhar on the Illinoy, an' wus a headin' fer Dixon.
"I don't know of any boats around here do you?" he asked of Dick Chester. "No," returned the young man from Yale. "But the natives living in the vicinity may have them." "Perhaps a native dun carry him off," said Aleck. "He must be sumwhar, dat am certain." "Yes, he must be somewhere," repeated Tom sadly. By this time Sam and Randolph Rover were coming up, and also one of Dick Chester's friends.
They wus both 'bout ther same age, an' nobody seemed ter know thet Rene wus a nigger. Fer sum reason ol' Beaucaire never set her free, ner the quadroon nether. Wal' Kirby he heard tell o' all this sumwhar down the river. Yer see he an' Bert Beaucaire run tergether fer a while, till Bert got killed in a row in New Orleans.
"Dunno; never wus up in yer afore. We bin runnin' 'tween Saint Louee an' New Orleans, 'till the Gov'ment took us. Maybe the captain kin tell yer sumwhar up Rock River, I reckon, wharever that is." We climbed the steep steps to the upper deck, and were met at the head of the ladder by the captain, evidently desirous of looking me over.
Sikes he 'splained all 'bout 'em ter Massa Shrunk, an' Ah heerd whut he sed. Ah wus a waitin' on 'em. Seems like, dey hed run off frum de Beaucaire plantation, sumwhar down ribber on de Missouri side, 'cause ol' Beaucaire hed died, an' dey wus goin' fer ter be sold down soufe. De free nigger he wus helpin' fer ter git 'em away in his boat.
He set out a squat bottle on the bar, and thinking it best to humor the both of them I poured out a stiff drink, fully aware that Rale was observing my features closely. "Seen yer afore sumwhar, ain't I?" "I reckon," I replied indifferently, watching Tim fill his glass. "I worked my way up on the boat; saw yer on board." "Sure; that's it; 'tain't in my line fer ter forgit a face.
The Jedge tol' me fer ter do everything just as Kirby sed, an' I aim ter do it, but just the same I got ter keep inside the law. I reckon thar's a hitch sumwhar', but thet's none o' my business. Kirby is liberal 'nough with his money, an' I dunno as it makes much difference when we strike the ol' town." "'Tain't so much that, Sheriff.
"No, sah; Ah's yere all 'lone. Ah reckon, tho', she sure mus' be on board sumwhar. All what Ah does know is, dat de gal called Rene Beaucaire sure ain't on board; fer she, an' her mah, am at Beardstown long fore dis, an' a headin' right smart for Canady; while Ah's headin' fer down soufe. Ah's a free nigger, an' dey's kidnapped me.
"I heerd said dey done brought de body ob de ol' Jedge home, sah he died mighty sudden sumwhar up de ribber. Thet's 'bout all I know." "When was this?" "'Bout a week maybe mor'n dat ago. De Warrior brought de body down, sah." "The Warrior? Did anyone go ashore with it?" "Pears like thar wus two men stopped off at de Landin'. I disremember de names, but one ob 'em wus an ol' friend ob de Jedge's."
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