After the gentlemen had left the room, he asked me what I meant by my carelessness, and said that he would attend to me.  The next morning, he gave me a note to carry to the jailer, and a dollar in money to give to him.  I suspected that all was not right, so I went down near the landing where I met with a sailor, and walking up to him, asked him if he would be so kind as to read the note for me.  He read it over, and then looked at me.  I asked him to tell me what was in it.  Said he,

“They are going to give you hell.”

“Why?” said I.

He said, “This is a note to have you whipped, and says that you have a dollar to pay for it.”

He handed me back the note, and off I started.  I knew not what to do, but was determined not to be whipped.  I went up to the jail—­took a look at it, and walked off again.  As Mr. Walker was acquainted with the jailer, I feared that I should be found out if I did not go, and be treated in consequence of it still worse.

While I was meditating on the subject, I saw a colored man about my size walk up, and the thought struck me in a moment to send him with my note.  I walked up to him, and asked him who he belonged to.  He said he was a free man, and had been in the city but a short time.  I told him I had a note to go into the jail, and get a trunk to carry to one of the steamboats; but was so busily engaged that I could not do it, although I had a dollar to pay for it.  He asked me if I would not give him the job.  I handed him the note and the dollar, and off he started for the jail.

I watched to see that he went in, and as soon as I saw the door close behind him, I walked around the corner, and took my station, intending to see how my friend looked when he came out.  I had been there but a short time, when a colored man came around the corner, and said to another colored man with whom he was acquainted—­

“They are giving a nigger scissors in the jail.”

“What for?” said the other.  The man continued,

“A nigger came into the jail, and asked for the jailer.  The jailer came out, and he handed him a note, and said he wanted to get a trunk.  The jailer told him to go with him, and he would give him the trunk.  So he took him into the room, and told the nigger to give up the dollar.  He said a man had given him the dollar to pay for getting the trunk.  But that lie would not answer.  So they made him strip himself, and then they tied him down, and are now whipping him.”

I stood by all the while listening to their talk, and soon found out that the person alluded to was my customer.  I went into the street opposite the jail, and concealed myself in such a manner that I could not be seen by any one coming out.  I had been there but a short time, when the young man made his appearance, and looked around for me.  I, unobserved, came forth from my hiding-place, behind a pile of brick, and he pretty soon saw me and came up to me complaining bitterly, saying that I had played a trick upon him.  I denied any knowledge of what the note contained, and asked him what they had done to him.  He told me in substance what I heard the man tell who had come out of the jail.