them against the peril of varying

"Why, la! massa, he own em dis ere vessel, an' he shoot em sartin if we done do him; ye done know dat massa, as I does," said Cesar. "Don't touch a hand to those sails, I command one and all of you. There's two can play at shooting, and I'll shoot you if you disobey my orders." Then turning to those on shore, he warned them that he would shoot the first nigger that attempted to make a raft to come on board. The reader will observe that the poor negroes were in a worse dilemma than the captain; goaded on the one side by a ruthless master, who claims ownership and demands the execution of his orders, while on the other extreme the hired master proclaims his right, and warns them against the peril of varying one iota from his commands. Here the clashing feelings of arbitrary men come together, which have placed many a good negro in that complex position, that he would be punished by one master for doing that which he would have been punished by the other if he had left undone. It may be said to the colonel's credit, he did not return, rifle in hand, nor did the captain see him afterward; but a young gentleman, a son, who represented the father, came to the bank about an hour after the occurrence, and making a lame apology for his father's temper, requested the captain to come on shore. The latter had concluded to await the return of the tide, run the vessel back to Charleston, report his reception, and deliver the vessel up to the agents; but on further consideration, there was nothing to eat on board, and what could he do? He went on shore, and held a parley with the young man, whom he found much more inclined to respect his color. "Your father took me for a nigger, and as such he presumed upon the dignity of his plantation. Now I know my duty, and have sailed in the finest ships and with the best masters in the country. All I want is proper respect, something to eat, what there is coming to me, and my passage paid back to Charleston by land. No! I will not even request so much as that; give me something to eat, and my passage to Charleston, and you may do what you please with the vessel, but I shall deliver the papers to nobody but the persons who shipped me. And I shall want you to see this little boy attended to, for he's quite sick now," said the captain, pointing to Tommy, and calling him to him.