prospectively pleased with Josh. Once he murmured to himself, "I'll
lay for Eckley next time."

Josh, the subject of Mr. Leckler's charitable solicitations, was the
plantation plasterer. His master had given him his trade, in order
that he might do whatever such work was needed about the place; but he
became so proficient in his duties, having also no competition among
the poor whites, that he had grown to be in great demand in the
country thereabout. So Mr. Leckler found it profitable, instead of
letting him do chores and field work in his idle time, to hire him out
to neighboring farms and planters. Josh was a man of more than
ordinary intelligence; and when he asked to be allowed to pay for
himself by working overtime, his master readily agreed,--for it
promised more work to be done, for which he could allow the slave just
what he pleased. Of course, he knew now that when the black man began
to cipher this state of affairs would be changed; but it would mean
such an increase of profit from the outside, that he could afford to
give up his own little peculations. Anyway, it would be many years
before the slave could pay the two thousand dollars, which price he
had set upon him. Should he approach that figure, Mr. Leckler felt it
just possible that the market in slaves would take a sudden rise.

When Josh was told of his master's intention, his eyes gleamed with
pleasure, and he went to his work with the zest of long hunger. He
proved a remarkably apt pupil. He was indefatigable in doing the tasks
assigned him. Even Mr. Leckler, who had great faith in his plasterer's
ability, marveled at the speed which he had acquired the three R's. He
did not know that on one of his many trips a free negro had given Josh
the rudimentary tools of learning, and that since the slave had been
adding to his store of learning by poring over signs and every bit of