It will be needless for us to trace them through the many incidents
of their journey; our purpose will be served when we state that his
new guardian landed him safely at the plantation of Major Wiley, on
the Tallahatchee River, Mississippi, on the evening of the fourth
day after their departure, having made a portion of their passage on
the steamer Ohio. By some process unknown to Harry he finds himself
duly ingratiated among the major's field hands, as nothing more than
plain Peter. He is far from the high-road, far from his friends,
without any prospect of communicating with his old master. The
major, in his way, seems a well-disposed sort of man, inclined to
"do right" by his negroes, and willing to afford them an opportunity
of employing their time after task, for their own benefit. And yet
it is evident that he must in some way be connected with Graspum and
his party, for there is a continual interchange of negroes to and
from his plantation. This, however, we must not analyse too closely,
but leave to the reader's own conjectures, inasmuch as Major Wiley
is a very distinguished gentleman, and confidently expects a very
prominent diplomatic appointment under the next administration.
Harry, in a very quiet way, sets himself about gaining a knowledge
of his master's opinions on religion, as well as obtaining his
confidence by strict fidelity to his interests. So far does he
succeed, that in a short time he finds himself holding the
respectable and confidential office of master of stores.
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