overcome with her emotion, sank back in her chair.

"De good Lord be praised, missy! but I not tink it eber come to dis. To
be sure, massa Wendall often tell me, eber since _dat day_, dat I
getting too full ob laugh, dat one extreme follow anoder; but I never
tink young massa take hesef clean off!" and, wiping the whites of his
eyes, he went out to hunt up old Nep to share his grief; but he soon
returned, and locking the door after him, proceeded to fasten every
window in the house.

Sea-flower, who was bathing her mother's temples, observing what the
negro was about, was at a loss to account for his movements; but knowing
he disliked to be questioned upon points touching his judgment, she
humored him by letting him have his own way, till finally, he peered
into his mistress's face, and in a voice scarcely above a whisper, said,
"Dar, missy, de rest ob us am safe! he no cotch any more dis time!"

"What is it? Vingo, what has happened?"

"Ah, little missy, if I wasn't clean gone tuck! 'pears like I never
shall get ober it."

"What is the matter, Vingo?"

"Well, missy Sea-flower, I tinks it am de ebil one dat has taken dem
away, after all; for dat dog neber go 'way peaceably wid anyting short
ob de debil; he got too much de spirit ob his massa to be afeard ob
anyting dat belong on dis earth!"

"Is Neptune gone, too, Vingo?"