CHAPTER V.
CAT-EYE MOSE CREATES A SENSATION For the next week or so things went rather strangely on the plantation.
I knew very well that there was an undercurrent of which I was supposed to know nothing, and I appeared politely unconscious; but I won't say but that I kept my eyes and ears as wide open as was possible without appearing to spy.

The chicken episode and Aunt Sukie's convulsions turned out to be only the beginning of the ha'nt excitement; scarcely a day passed without some fresh supernatural visitation.

Radnor pooh-poohed over the matter before the Colonel and me, but with the negroes I know that he encouraged rather than discouraged their fears, until there was not a man on our own or any of the neighboring plantations who would have ventured to step foot within the laurel walk, either at night or in the daytime--at least there was only one.
Cat-Eye Mose took the matter of the ha'nt without undue emotion, a point which struck me as suggestive, for I knew that Mose was as superstitious as the rest when the occasion warranted.
Once at least I saw Radnor and Mose in consultation, and though I did not know the subject of the conference my suspicions were very near the surface.

I came upon them in the stables talking in low tones, Rad apparently explaining, and Mose listening with the air of strained attention which the slightest mental effort always called to his face.
At my appearance Radnor raised his voice and added one or two directions as to how his guns were to be cleaned.

It was evident that the subject had been changed.
Everything that was missing about the place--and there seemed to be an abnormal amount--was attributed to the ha'nt.