paces and I’ll gin ye a fair chance!  The nigger understands me, ye see, and moves off, as if he expected a thunderbolt at his heel, lookin’ back and whining like a puppy what’s lost his mother.  Just when he gets to an honourable distance,—­say twenty paces, according to fighting rule,—­I draws up, takes aim, and plumps the plugs into him.  The way the critter jumps reminds me of a circus rider vaultin’ and turnin’ sumersets.  You’d think he was inginrubber ’lectrified.  A’ter all, I finds these playin’ doses don’t do; they don’t settle things on the square.  So I tries a little stronger mixture, which ends in killin’ three o’ Mack’s niggers right up smooth.  But the best on’t is that Mack finds he han’t no proof, goes right into it and kills three o’ my prime fat niggers:  that makes us bad friends on every score.  But he got a nigger ahead o’ me a’ter awhile, and I ware detarmined to straighten accounts, if it was by stealin’ the odds.  Them ar’s my principles, and that’s just the way I settles accounts with folks what don’t do the square thing in the way o’ nigger property.”

Thus the two gentlemen lived in the terror of internal war; and Romescos, seeing such a fine piece of property pass into the hands of his antagonist, resolved on squaring accounts by stealing the preacher,—­an act Mr. M’Fadden least expected.

The candidates’ festival offered every facility for carrying this singular coup-d’‚tat into effect.  Hence, with the skilful assistance of Nath.  Nimrod, and Dan Bengal, Harry was very precipitately and dexterously passed over to the chances of a new phase of slave life.

Ellen waited patiently for Harry’s return until it became evident some ill-luck had befallen him.  Lantern in hand, she proceeds to the pen in search.  No Harry is to be found there; Mr. M’Fadden’s common negroes only are there, and they sleep sweetly and soundly.  What can have befallen him?  She conjectures many things, none of which are the right.  The lock is upon the door; all is still outside; no traces of kidnapping can be found.  She knows his faithfulness,—­ knows he would not desert his master unless some foul means had been used to decoy him into trouble.  She returns to the house and acquaints her master.

Straggling members, who had met to enjoy the generous political banquet, and who still remain to see the night “through” with appropriate honour, are apprised of the sudden disappearance of this very valuable piece of property.  They are ready for any turn of excitement,—­anything for “topping off” with a little amusement; and to this end they immediately gather round mine host in a party of pursuit.  Romescos-he must make his innocence more imposing-has been conspicuous during the night, at times expressing sympathy for Mr. M’Fadden, and again assuring the company that he has known fifty worse cases cured.  In order to make this better understood, he will pay the doctor’s bill if M’Fadden dies.  Mine host has no sooner