been driven somewhere and by somebody, what excuse could I make, or what
story could I invent in order to save my poor back from that awful
flogging which I knew must be the result of the revelation of the truth. I
studied and tried, but could think of no lie that would stand muster. At
last I went into the stable and turned all the rest out, and left the
stable door open, and creeping into the house, took off my fine clothes
and put on those which I had been wearing all the week, and laid myself
down on my straw. I had not lain long before I heard master shouting for
me, for all those horses, eight in number, were under my care; and
although he shouted for me at the top of his voice, I lay still and
pretended not to hear him; but soon after I heard a light step coming up
stairs, and a rap at my door--then I commenced to snore as loud as
possible, still the knocking continued. At last I pretended to awake, and
called out, who's there--that you, Lizzy? oh my! what's up, what time is
it, and so on. Lizzy said master wanted me immediately; yes, Lizzy, said
I, tell master I'm coming. I bothered about the room long enough to give
colour to the impression that I had just finished dressing myself; I then
came and said, here I am, master, when he demanded of me, what were my
horses doing in the meadow? Here I put on an expression of such wonder and
surprise--looking first into the meadow and then at the stable door, and
to master's satisfaction, I seemed so completely confounded that my
deception took upon him the desired effect. Then I affected to roar right
out, crying, now master, you saw my horses all clean last night before I
went to bed, and now some of those negroes have turned them out so that I
should have them to clean over again: well, I declare! it's too bad, and I
roared and cried as I went towards the meadow to drive them up; but master
believing what I said, called me back and told me to call Mr. Cobb, and
when Mr. Cobb came master told him to blow the horn; when the horn was
blown, the negroes were to be seen coming from all parts of the
plantation, and forming around in front of the balcony. Master then came