"He was here a little while ago. He went out when those two men
came and--"

At that moment, from the garden at the side of the library, the
sound of voices in dispute could be heard.

"Now yo' all g'wan 'way from yeah!" exclaimed some one who
could be none other than Eradicate Sampson. "Whut fo' yo' all
want to clutter up dish yeah place fo'? Massa Tom said I was to
do de garden wuk, an' I'se gwine to do it! G'wan 'way, Giant!"

"Ho! You want me to get out, s'pose you put me, black face!"
cried a big voice, that of Koku, the giant.

"There they go! At it again!" cried Tom with a smile. "Might
have known if I told Rad to do anything that Koku would be
jealous. Well, I'll have to go out now and give that giant
something to do that will tax his strength."

But as Tom was about to leave the room another voice was heard
in the garden.

"Now, boys, be nice," said some one soothingly. "The garden is
large enough for you both to work in. Rad, you begin at the lower
end and spade toward the middle. Koku, you begin at the upper end
and work down. Whoever gets to the middle first will win."

"Ha! Den I'll show dat giant some spade wuk as is spade wuk!"
cried the colored man. "Garden wuk is mah middle name."