"Father has bought you from Mr.Butler, for the purpose of setting you free, as a reward for your good conduct." Joe evidently wanted to say something, but did not know how.
"Are you glad to be free, Joe ?" asked Mr.Hardwicke.
"Ain't I though ?" and Joe's feet began to shuffle as if a jig were coming in spite of his desire to behave well.
"Well, Joe," said Mr.Hardwicke, "I mean to give you a fair chance in life, and I've thought the matter over carefully.

You are free now to do precisely as you please, and you can live where you like.

But I've a proposition to make--a plan for you.

Do you know my cypress farm,--the little one down in the fork of the two creeks ?" "De one whar' ole uncle Peter Dun lived so long ?" "Yes, the one uncle Peter manages for me." "Yes, master, I knows dat place mighty well." "Well, how would you like to buy it, Joe ?" "Buy the farm, master?
What's Joe got to buy wid?
I ain't got no money, 'thout it's a quarter Mas' Tandy Walker dun gim me fur to clean his boots sence we comed back to de fort, an' I jest know that a quarter won't buy no sich low grounds as dem dar down twix' dem dar creeks is.
Dat's de very bes' lan' in Alabama.

Leastways I dun hear de folks say 'tis heaps o' times.