You'll get back safely if the Indians don't catch you, and if they catch you they'll catch all of us, so I won't be there to tell your master about you." "Dun no 'bout dat," replied Joe.

"Dey mought catch Joe 'thout catchin' anybody else, an' 'thout you nor nobody knowin' nothin' 'bout it, and Joe wants you to promise anyway dat you'll stick to it to de las' dat poor Joe was no runaway nigger, nohow at all.

Kin you do dat for me, Mas' Tom ?" "Certainly, Joe," said Tom laughing, "I promise you." "Will you git mad if Joe axes you to shake han's on dat, Mas' Tom?
I wants to make sartain sure on it." Tom laughed, but held out his hand, convinced that the poor black boy was out of spirits at least, if not out of his mind..