While he was working away, breathing very hard over it, Eva came behind
him, and peeped over his shoulder.

'Oh, Uncle Tom! what funny things you are making there!'

Eva put her little golden head close to Uncle Tom's black one, and the
two began a grave and anxious talk over the letter. They were both very
earnest, and both very ignorant. But after a great deal of consulting
over every word, the writing began, they really thought, to look quite
like a proper letter.

'Yes, Uncle Tom, it begins to look beautiful,' said Eva, gazing on it
with delight. 'How pleased your wife will be, and the poor little
children! Oh, it is a shame that you ever had to go away from them! I
mean to ask papa to let you go back, some day.'

'Missis said that she would send down money for me, as soon as they
could get it together,' said Tom. 'Young Mas'r George, he said he'd come
for me. He gave me this dollar as a sign,' and Tom drew the precious
dollar from under his coat.

'Oh, he is sure to come, then,' said Eva, 'I am so glad.'

'I wanted to send a letter, you see, to let 'em know where I was, and
tell poor Chloe that I was well off, 'cause she felt so dreadful, poor
soul.'

'I say, Tom,' said Mr. St. Clare, coming in at the door at this minute.