Tom and Eva both started.

'What's this?' Mr. St. Clare went on, coming up and looking at the
slate.

'Oh, it's Tom's letter. I'm helping him to write it,' said Eva. 'Isn't
it nice?'

'I wouldn't discourage either of you,' said her father; 'but I rather
think, Tom, you had better let me write your letter for you. I'll do it
when I come home from my ride.'

'It is very important that he should write,' said Eva, 'because his
mistress is going to send money to buy him back again, you know, papa.
He told me they had said so.'

Mr. St. Clare thought in his heart that very likely this meant nothing.
He thought it was only one of these things which good-natured people
said to their slaves to comfort them when they were taken away from
their dear ones to be sold. He did not really believe Mrs. Shelby
meant to buy Tom back again. However, he did not say so out loud, but
just told Tom to get the horses ready for a ride.

That evening the letter was written, and Uncle Tom carried it joyfully
to the post-office.

[Illustration]