“Now, if old Katie won’t have to turn her fat body a little faster than she often does, I don’t know nothing!” exclaimed Gray, when Ishmael had finished the reading.

“I will go up myself this evening and help her,” said Hannah kindly.

“No, you won’t, neither, my dear!  Old Katie has lots of young maid servants to help her, and she’s as jealous as a pet cat of all interference with her affairs.  But we will walk over after tea and let her know what’s up,” said Gray.

After tea, accordingly, Reuben, Hannah, and Ishmael took a pleasant evening stroll through the forest to Tanglewood, and told Katie what was at hand.

“And you’ll have to stir round, old woman, and that I tell you, for this is Saturday night, and they may be here on Monday evening,” said Gray.

“Law, Marse Reuben, you needn’t tell me nuffin ’tall ’bout Marse Judge Merlin!  I knows his ways too well; I been too long use to his popping down on us, unexpected, like the Day of Judgment, for me to be unprepared!  The house is all in fust-rate order; only wantin’ fires to be kindled to correct de damp, and windows to be opened to air de rooms; and time ‘nuff for dat o’ Monday,” grinned old Katie, taking things easy.

“Very well, only see to it!  Come, Hannah, let us go home,” said Gray.

“But, Uncle Reuben, have you no directions for the coachman to meet the judge at the landing?” inquired Ishmael.

“No, my lad.  The judge never comes down by any of these little sailing packets as pass here.  He allers comes by the steamboat to Baymouth, and then from there to here by land.”

“Then had you not better send the carriage to Baymouth immediately, that it may be there in time to meet him?  It will be more comfortable for the judge and—­and Miss—­and his daughter to travel in their own easy carriage than in those rough village hacks.”

“Well, now, Ishmael, that’s a rale good idee, and I’ll follow it, and the judge will thank you for it.  If he’d took a thought, you see, he’d a-gin me the order to do just that thing.  But law! he’s so took up along of public affairs, as he never thinks of his private comfort, though he is always pleased as possible when anybody thinks of it for him.”

“Then, Uncle Reuben, had you not better start Sam with the carriage this evening?  It is a very clear night, the roads are excellent, and the horses are fresh; so he could easily reach Baymouth by sunrise, and put up at the ‘Planter’s Rest,’ for Sunday, and wait there for the boat.”

“Yes, Ishmael, I think I had better do so; we’ll go home now directly and start Sam.  He’ll be pleased to death!  If there’s anything that nigger likes, it’s a journey, particular through the cool of the night; but he’ll sleep all day to-morrow to make up for his lost rest,” returned Reuben, as they turned to walk back to the cottage.

Sam was found loitering near the front gate.  When told what he was to do, he grinned and started with alacrity to put the horses to the carriage and prepare the horse feed to take along with him.