performed, he told Randall that he should remember him the next morning.
On the following morning, after the hands had taken breakfast, Cook
called out to Randall, and told him that he intended to whip him, and
ordered him to cross his hands and be tied. Randall asked why he wished
to whip him. He answered, because he had not finished his task the day
before. Randall said that the task was too great, or he should have done
it. Cook said it made no difference,--he should whip him. Randall stood
silent for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Cook, I have always tried to
please you since you have been on the plantation, and I find you are
determined not to be satisfied with my work, let me do as well as I may.
No man has laid hands on me, to whip me, for the last ten years, and I
have long since come to the conclusion not to be whipped by any man
living." Cook, finding by Randall's determined look and gestures, that
he would resist, called three of the hands from their work, and
commanded them to seize Randall, and tie him. The hands stood
still;--they knew Randall--and they also knew him to be a powerful man,
and were afraid to grapple with him. As soon as Cook had ordered the men
to seize him, Randall turned to them, and said--"Boys, you all know me;
you know that I can handle any three of you, and the man that lays hands
on me shall die. This white man can't whip me himself, and therefore he
has called you to help him." The overseer was unable to prevail upon
them to seize and secure Randall, and finally ordered them all to go to
their work together.

Nothing was said to Randall by the overseer, for more than a week. One
morning, however, while the hands were at work in the field, he came
into it, accompanied by three friends of his, Thompson, Woodbridge and
Jones. They came up to where Randall was at work, and Cook ordered him
to leave his work, and go with them to the barn. He refused to go;
whereupon he was attacked by the overseer and his companions, when he