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“What’s the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?” “What’s the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?”
The nigger kind of smiled around gradually over his face, like when you heave a brickbat in a mud-puddle, and he says: The nigger kind of smiled around gradually over his face, like when you heave a brickbat in a mud-puddle, and he says:
“Yes, Mars Sid, A dog. Cur’us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at ’im?” “Yes, Mars Sid, A dog. Cur’us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at ’im?”
“Yes.” “Yes.”
I hunched Tom, and whispers: I hunched Tom, and whispers:
“You going, right here in the daybreak? THAT warn’t the plan.” “You going, right here in the daybreak? THAT warn’t the plan.”
“No, it warn’t; but it’s the plan NOW.” “No, it warn’t; but it’s the plan NOW.”
So, drat him, we went along, but I didn’t like it much. When we got in we couldn’t hardly see anything, it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, and could see us; and he sings out: So, drat him, we went along, but I didn’t like it much. When we got in we couldn’t hardly see anything, it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, and could see us; and he sings out:
“Why, HUCK! En good LAN’! ain’ dat Misto Tom?” “Why, HUCK! En good LAN’! ain’ dat Misto Tom?”
I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn’t know nothing to do; and if I had I couldn’t a done it, because that nigger busted in and says: I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn’t know nothing to do; and if I had I couldn’t a done it, because that nigger busted in and says:
“Why, de gracious sakes! do he know you genlmen?” “Why, de gracious sakes! do he know you genlmen?”
We could see pretty well now. Tom he looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says: We could see pretty well now. Tom he looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says:
“Does WHO know us?” “Does WHO know us?”
“Why, dis-yer runaway nigger.” “Why, dis-yer runaway nigger.”
“I don’t reckon he does; but what put that into your head?” “I don’t reckon he does; but what put that into your head?”
“What PUT it dar? Didn’ he jis’ dis minute sing out like he knowed you?” “What PUT it dar? Didn’ he jis’ dis minute sing out like he knowed you?”
Tom says, in a puzzled-up kind of way: Tom says, in a puzzled-up kind of way:
“Well, that’s mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?” And turns to me, perfectly ca’m, and says, “Did YOU hear anybody sing out?” “Well, that’s mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?” And turns to me, perfectly ca’m, and says, “Did YOU hear anybody sing out?”
Of course there warn’t nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says: Of course there warn’t nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says:
“No; I ain’t heard nobody say nothing.” “No; I ain’t heard nobody say nothing.”
Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says: Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says:
“Did you sing out?” “Did you sing out?”
“No, sah,” says Jim; “I hain’t said nothing, sah.” “No, sah,” says Jim; “I hain’t said nothing, sah.”
“Not a word?” “Not a word?”
“No, sah, I hain’t said a word.” “No, sah, I hain’t said a word.”
“Did you ever see us before?” “Did you ever see us before?”
“No, sah; not as I knows on.” “No, sah; not as I knows on.”
So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe: So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe:
“What do you reckon’s the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?” “What do you reckon’s the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?”
“Oh, it’s de dad-blame’ witches, sah, en I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey’s awluz at it, sah, en dey do mos’ kill me, dey sk’yers me so. Please to don’t tell nobody ’bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he’ll scole me; ’kase he say dey AIN’T no witches. I jis’ wish to goodness he was heah now—DEN what would he say! I jis’ bet he couldn’ fine no way to git aroun’ it DIS time. But it’s awluz jis’ so; people dat’s SOT, stays sot; dey won’t look into noth’n’en fine it out f’r deyselves, en when YOU fine it out en tell um ’bout it, dey doan’ b’lieve you.” “Oh, it’s de dad-blame’ witches, sah, en I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey’s awluz at it, sah, en dey do mos’ kill me, dey sk’yers me so. Please to don’t tell nobody ’bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he’ll scole me; ’kase he say dey AIN’T no witches. I jis’ wish to goodness he was heah now—DEN what would he say! I jis’ bet he couldn’ fine no way to git aroun’ it DIS time. But it’s awluz jis’ so; people dat’s SOT, stays sot; dey won’t look into noth’n’en fine it out f’r deyselves, en when YOU fine it out en tell um ’bout it, dey doan’ b’lieve you.”
Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell nobody; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at Jim, and says: Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell nobody; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at Jim, and says:
“I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I was to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him up, I’d hang him.” And whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim and says: “I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I was to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him up, I’d hang him.” And whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim and says:
“Don’t ever let on to know us. And if you hear any digging going on nights, it’s us; we’re going to set you free.” “Don’t ever let on to know us. And if you hear any digging going on nights, it’s us; we’re going to set you free.”
Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back, and we said we’d come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particular if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around then. Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back, and we said we’d come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particular if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around then.

Original Text

Modern Text

“What’s the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?” “What’s the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?”
The nigger kind of smiled around gradually over his face, like when you heave a brickbat in a mud-puddle, and he says: The nigger kind of smiled around gradually over his face, like when you heave a brickbat in a mud-puddle, and he says:
“Yes, Mars Sid, A dog. Cur’us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at ’im?” “Yes, Mars Sid, A dog. Cur’us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at ’im?”
“Yes.” “Yes.”
I hunched Tom, and whispers: I hunched Tom, and whispers:
“You going, right here in the daybreak? THAT warn’t the plan.” “You going, right here in the daybreak? THAT warn’t the plan.”
“No, it warn’t; but it’s the plan NOW.” “No, it warn’t; but it’s the plan NOW.”
So, drat him, we went along, but I didn’t like it much. When we got in we couldn’t hardly see anything, it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, and could see us; and he sings out: So, drat him, we went along, but I didn’t like it much. When we got in we couldn’t hardly see anything, it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, and could see us; and he sings out:
“Why, HUCK! En good LAN’! ain’ dat Misto Tom?” “Why, HUCK! En good LAN’! ain’ dat Misto Tom?”
I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn’t know nothing to do; and if I had I couldn’t a done it, because that nigger busted in and says: I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn’t know nothing to do; and if I had I couldn’t a done it, because that nigger busted in and says:
“Why, de gracious sakes! do he know you genlmen?” “Why, de gracious sakes! do he know you genlmen?”
We could see pretty well now. Tom he looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says: We could see pretty well now. Tom he looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says:
“Does WHO know us?” “Does WHO know us?”
“Why, dis-yer runaway nigger.” “Why, dis-yer runaway nigger.”
“I don’t reckon he does; but what put that into your head?” “I don’t reckon he does; but what put that into your head?”
“What PUT it dar? Didn’ he jis’ dis minute sing out like he knowed you?” “What PUT it dar? Didn’ he jis’ dis minute sing out like he knowed you?”
Tom says, in a puzzled-up kind of way: Tom says, in a puzzled-up kind of way:
“Well, that’s mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?” And turns to me, perfectly ca’m, and says, “Did YOU hear anybody sing out?” “Well, that’s mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?” And turns to me, perfectly ca’m, and says, “Did YOU hear anybody sing out?”
Of course there warn’t nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says: Of course there warn’t nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says:
“No; I ain’t heard nobody say nothing.” “No; I ain’t heard nobody say nothing.”
Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says: Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says:
“Did you sing out?” “Did you sing out?”
“No, sah,” says Jim; “I hain’t said nothing, sah.” “No, sah,” says Jim; “I hain’t said nothing, sah.”
“Not a word?” “Not a word?”
“No, sah, I hain’t said a word.” “No, sah, I hain’t said a word.”
“Did you ever see us before?” “Did you ever see us before?”
“No, sah; not as I knows on.” “No, sah; not as I knows on.”
So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe: So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe:
“What do you reckon’s the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?” “What do you reckon’s the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?”
“Oh, it’s de dad-blame’ witches, sah, en I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey’s awluz at it, sah, en dey do mos’ kill me, dey sk’yers me so. Please to don’t tell nobody ’bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he’ll scole me; ’kase he say dey AIN’T no witches. I jis’ wish to goodness he was heah now—DEN what would he say! I jis’ bet he couldn’ fine no way to git aroun’ it DIS time. But it’s awluz jis’ so; people dat’s SOT, stays sot; dey won’t look into noth’n’en fine it out f’r deyselves, en when YOU fine it out en tell um ’bout it, dey doan’ b’lieve you.” “Oh, it’s de dad-blame’ witches, sah, en I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey’s awluz at it, sah, en dey do mos’ kill me, dey sk’yers me so. Please to don’t tell nobody ’bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he’ll scole me; ’kase he say dey AIN’T no witches. I jis’ wish to goodness he was heah now—DEN what would he say! I jis’ bet he couldn’ fine no way to git aroun’ it DIS time. But it’s awluz jis’ so; people dat’s SOT, stays sot; dey won’t look into noth’n’en fine it out f’r deyselves, en when YOU fine it out en tell um ’bout it, dey doan’ b’lieve you.”
Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell nobody; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at Jim, and says: Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell nobody; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at Jim, and says:
“I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I was to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him up, I’d hang him.” And whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim and says: “I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I was to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him up, I’d hang him.” And whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim and says:
“Don’t ever let on to know us. And if you hear any digging going on nights, it’s us; we’re going to set you free.” “Don’t ever let on to know us. And if you hear any digging going on nights, it’s us; we’re going to set you free.”
Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back, and we said we’d come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particular if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around then. Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back, and we said we’d come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particular if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around then.