Part 11 (1/2)

”Possifus!” exclaimed Cyd, when the table was ready, as he sat down upon the berth to observe the effect. ”Dat's bery fine! Cyd, you'se gwine to set down to dat table. You'se a free n.i.g.g.e.r, now, Cyd, and jes as good as de best ob dem. Dar's de bread, dar's de pickles, dar's de b.u.t.ter, dar's de sugar, dar's de milk, dar's de salt, dar's de castor. Gossifus!

All dat's bery fine, and Cyd's gwine to set down at de fus table.”

”Here, Cyd,” called Dan, through the sky-light, as he proceeded to pa.s.s down the breakfast. ”Put them on the table.”

”Mossifus! Do you think Cyd don't know what to do wid dese yere tings? I knows what fried bacon's fur!”

The potatoes, the bacon, and the coffee were handed down, and when they were placed upon the table, the effect called forth another rhapsody from Cyd. While he was apostrophizing the bacon and the potatoes, he was joined by Dan.

”Come, Lily,” said he; ”breakfast is ready.”

”Hossifus! We forgot one ting for sartin,” exclaimed Cyd, suddenly looking as sober as though he had not a friend in the world.

”What, Cyd.”

”De bell.”

”Bell? What do we want of a bell?”

”To call de folks to breakfas, to be sure,” replied Cyd, distending his mouth from ear to ear.

”I think we can get along without a bell,” replied Dan, laughing at the folly of his companion.

Lily joined the boys in the forward cabin, as they called the s.p.a.ce forward of the centre-board. She looked as pleased and happy as Dan and Cyd; and one would hardly have believed, from their appearance, that they were fugitives from slavery. All the talk about the chilly damps of the swamp, the perils and the hards.h.i.+ps of the flight, appeared to have been forgotten. The planter and his son could hardly have been more jovial than the party which had taken possession of the yacht.

Cyd was not accustomed to the refinements of social life, as Dan and Lily had been, and he began to behave in a very indecorous and remarkable manner. As it was all in the family, Dan ventured to suggest to him that, as he was now seated at a gentleman's table, he should behave in a gentlemanly manner, and not eat bacon from his fingers, when a knife and fork had been especially provided for this purpose. Cyd accepted the rebuke, and thereafter imitated the manners of his companions, even carrying his ideas of gentility to extremes.

The cooking was a decided success, with the exception of the coffee, which was very muddy and uninviting. This was not strange, inasmuch as none of the chemical conditions, upon which good coffee is produced, had been complied with. It was nothing but coffee and water stewed together.

Dan was mortified, and apologized for the failure.

”How did you make it, Dan?” asked Lily, with a smile, which fully spoke the offender's pardon.

”I put the coffee in, and then the water,” replied the amateur cook, with a blush.

”Hot water?”

”No, cold.”

Lily laughed aloud at this blunder, and then gave him a receipt for making good coffee, which included the use of boiling water and fish-skin.

”I saw that fish-skin in the locker, and I couldn't think what it was for?” laughed Dan.

But the breakfast was finished, and, in spite of the drawback of poor coffee, it was p.r.o.nounced satisfactory, especially by Cyd, whose plantation rations had not included coffee, b.u.t.ter, white bread, and other articles which graced the table of the Isabel.

”Now, Dan and Cyd, you can go away and do what you please,” said Lily.

”We will clear up the table and wash the dishes first,” replied Dan.

”No; I am going to do that.”