Having given--as he thought--no occasion to his boys to leave him, he could not think it probable that they had entertained a design so grievous.

This, however, was not the view taken of the matter by "Mas' Billy," as we used to call the soft spoken, but crafty and resolute Mr.William Hamilton.

He had no doubt that the crime had been meditated; and regarding me as the instigator of it, he frankly told Master Thomas that he must remove me from that neighborhood, or he would shoot me down.

He would not have one so dangerous as "Frederick" tampering with his slaves.

William Hamilton was not a man whose threat might be safely disregarded.