We had our times for measuring each other's strength, but we knew too much to keep up the competition so long as to produce an extraordinary day's work.
We knew that if, by extraordinary exertion, a large quantity of work was done in one day, the fact, becoming known to the master, might lead him to require the same amount every day.

This thought was enough to bring us to a dead halt when over so much excited for the race.
At Mr.Freeland's, my condition was every way improved.

I was no longer the poor scape-goat that I was when at Covey's, where every wrong thing done was saddled upon me, and where other slaves were whipped over my shoulders.

Mr.Freeland was too just a man thus to impose upon me, or upon any one else.
It is quite usual to make one slave the object of especial abuse, and to beat him often, with a view to its effect upon others, rather than with any expectation that the slave whipped will be improved by it, but the man with whom I now was, could descend to no such meanness and wickedness.

Every man here was held individually responsible for his own conduct.
This was a vast improvement on the rule at Covey's.