I 'm gwine ter jump off Injun Bluff in de river."
"Sho nuff?" his wife asked, in a low voice.
"Sho nuff!" he answered, in a voice as low.
The woman sighed as she rose from her chair to clear away the little table. In a little while she began to sing a hymn, and by that time Uncle Shade, lying across the foot of the bed, was fast asleep.
The cook, out of abundant caution, gave her master his breakfast before sunrise. The colonel called Jeff into the dining-room and gave him some substantial scraps of warm victuals—an unheard-of proceeding in that house.
After breakfast the colonel mounted his horse, which was standing saddled at the gate, and rode over to the old home place. He rode straight to Uncle Shade's house, called a negro to hold his horse, and went in, followed by Jeff.
"Where did Shade sleep last night?" he asked of Shade's wife.
"Well, suh, what little sleepin' he done, he done right dar, suh—right dar in de baid, suh."
