godfrey and his visitor had not gone very far into the woods, before the former told himself that if clarence had come out there for the purpose of hunting squirrels, he certainly knew very little of the nature of the animals of which he was in search. he talked incessantly, and in a tone of voice loud enough to frighten all the wild animals for a quarter of a mile around. he did not say “squirrel” once, and neither did he appear to be anxious to find any, for he was more interested in studying the face of his companion, than in searching the tree tops where the game was most likely to be found. so closely did he watch godfrey that the latter became uneasy; and when he could no longer endure his scrutiny he said, suddenly:
“do ye think ye ever seed me afore, mr. clarence, or what’s the matter of ye? yer tongue says one thing to me, an’ yer face says another.”
[pg 158]“well, what does my face say?” asked clarence.
“i can’t quite seem to make out, an’ that’s why i axed ye. ye look as though ye wanted to say something to me and didn’t know how to begin.”
“mr. evans, you would soon make yourself rich if you were to turn fortune-teller,” said clarence. “you have hit the nail squarely on the head. have a weed?”
as he spoke, he thrust his hand into one of the pockets of his game-bag, and brought it out again filled with cigars. either by accident or design he brought something else, too—something that fell on the ground at godfrey’s feet, and at which he gazed as if fascinated. it was the cob-pipe he had lost the night before in general gordon’s potato patch. after making sure that it was his own property, he looked toward clarence, who could scarcely refrain from laughing outright, so utterly astounded and bewildered did godfrey seem to be.
“whar did ye get it?” he demanded, as soon as he could speak, “an’ how came ye by it?”
“i found it in the potato patch where you and dan were digging last night. you did not find the eighty thousand, did you? why, what’s the matter with you?”
[pg 159]clarence was not a little surprised at the effect of his words. they seemed to take away all godfrey’s strength, and to crush him completely. he wilted before the boy’s eyes like a blade of grass that had been struck by the frost. he looked around for a place to sit down, but as he could not find any to suit him, he sat down right where he was and groaned aloud.
“what’s the matter with you?” repeated clarence.
“who told you that was my pipe?” asked godfrey.
“my intuition.”
“yer what?”
“my instinct.”
godfrey looked more bewildered than ever. “ye mean that the haunt told ye, don’t ye?” said he.
“the haunt!” repeated clarence. “what’s that?”
“why, the sperrit; the—the—ole jordan’s ghost. he was thar, kase i seed him. whar was you, mr. clarence?”
“i was in the house, where all honest folks were at that time of the night. did you say you saw a ghost?”
“i did say so, an’ i done seed it, too.”
“what did it look like?”
[pg 160]“i didn’t see all of him—only jest the eye; an’ that was a watchin’ us, kase i could see it wink.”
“where was it?” asked clarence, elevating his eye-brows.
“down in the fence corner, clost by that big butternut tree.”
the boy stared, then laid down his rifle and seated himself on the nearest log. he seemed to be very much impressed by what he had heard.
“i knowed all the time that you didn’t come out here to shoot no squirrels,” said godfrey, “kase if they was what ye wanted, ye could a found a cartload of ’em nigher to the gen’ral’s house. now, what be ye a goin’ to do about it? be ye goin’ to tell yer uncle?”
“that depends entirely upon yourself,” was the reply, which quickly put all godfrey’s fears at rest. “i would much rather help you dig up the barrel and then divide its contents with you—that is, if there is any barrel there, and we have a chance of finding it.”
as godfrey had already committed himself he knew that it was too late to deny anything, so he replied that to the best of his knowledge and belief the barrel was hidden somewhere in that potato-patch; and[pg 161] at the boy’s request he went on to tell why he thought so. he told him the story of the buried treasure just as he had told it before to the members of his family, and clarence listened to every word. when godfrey ended his tale he questioned him closely; and when he got up half an hour afterward to stretch his arms and legs, he believed as firmly as godfrey did that there was a fortune concealed in his uncle’s potato-patch. he said so too, and proposed to godfrey that they should search for it together, and, when they found it, divide the contents, whatever they might be.
“there is one thing about it,” continued clarence; “two are enough to engage in any such enterprise as this, and i’ll have nothing whatever to do with it, unless you promise that dan shall be left in the background. we don’t want him.”
“no fear about him,” replied godfrey. “he seed the haunt as well as me, an’ says he won’t go thar no more.”
“i am glad of it, and i hope he will stick to his resolution,” said clarence. “but, in order to make sure of it, you had better tell him that you are not going near the field again yourself. you can slip away from him every night, i suppose?”
[pg 162]“i reckon i can; but if ye was in the house last night, whar all honest folks was, how did ye find out about this bar’l, mr. clarence? an’ who brung ye this pipe an’ told ye it was mine?”
this was the third or fourth time that godfrey had asked this question during their interview, which had already lasted more than an hour, and clarence replied now as he had done before—
“i can’t tell you just at present. i may tell you some day after you and i get to be good friends, and i find out that i can trust you. when you become better acquainted with me, you will see that i have a way of finding out a good many things.”
the two talked for an hour longer on these matters, and at the end of that time godfrey was satisfied that what he had at first believed to be a dire misfortune, had turned out to be the luckiest thing that ever happened to him. he knew that dan could never be induced to go near that potato-patch again in the dark, for he had been frightened out of a year’s growth already; but godfrey needed an assistant all the same, and here was one worth having. godfrey was astonished at the courage the boy exhibited. clarence scouted the idea of haunts and ghosts and all other things of like character, and[pg 163] although he did not pretend to account for the invisible hands that had so often tripped godfrey up and knocked his hat from his head, he was sure that there was nothing supernatural about them, and promised that if any such pranks were played on godfrey while he was near, he would find out how they were done, and who was to blame for them. they came to a perfect understanding on every point that arose regarding their future actions; but there were some things connected with the past that remained a sealed book to godfrey. the latter would have given every thing he possessed to know how clarence came by the pipe that he had dropped in the potato-patch, and how he had found out who the owner was. he wanted to know how the boy had learned of the existence of the barrel with the eighty thousand dollars in it; how he had found out what his (godfrey’s) name was; how it came that he could recognise him the moment he saw him; and why he offered to assist him in looking for the barrel. if he had been like most nephews, he would have gone straight to his uncle and told him what was going on in his potato-patch after dark. godfrey tried his best to surprise or coax clarence into giving him some information on these points, but without the least success;[pg 164] and he was finally obliged to make up his mind that they were mysteries that time only could clear away.
another thing that surprised and delighted godfrey was the condescension and familiarity with which the boy treated him. clarence was, at the same time, much more respectful to him than dan was, and godfrey already began to feel perfectly at ease in his presence. he saw the force of one command that clarence laid upon him, and readily promised to obey it, namely: that no matter how intimate they might be while they were by themselves, there was to be none of that sort of thing should they chance to meet in company. they must meet as strangers, and never so much as look at each other. they did not want to arouse anybody’s curiosity or suspicions, and so they could not be too careful.
when the matter had been thoroughly discussed and they knew just what they were going to do, they arose and walked slowly towards the cabin. they stopped on the way to shoot a few squirrels, and godfrey, surprised at the accuracy of the little breech-loader, which seemed as light as a feather beside his long, heavy muzzle-loader, declared that he would have one exactly like it, just as soon as he received his share of the contents of the barrel. they held[pg 165] another short consultation when they reached the clearing, and after each had promised to be at the general’s barn as soon after dark as he could get there, clarence started homeward, while godfrey filled his pipe, and sat down to smoke and think. he was in such a fever of suspense that he never thought of getting himself any dinner, and even when supper time came, he could scarcely arouse himself from his air-castle building, long enough to eat his share of the corn-bread and squirrels. when it began to grow dark he grew more restless than ever, and his impatience to be at work increased every minute. he was not afraid of old jordan’s haunt so long as he was in the presence of the general’s nephew, and neither was he any longer afraid of the work he might have to do before the barrel would be brought to light; for clarence had discoursed in such glowing language of the comforts and pleasures that could be purchased for eighty thousand dollars, that godfrey would have thought nothing of digging up twenty acres with a single spade, if he could obtain that amount of money by so doing.
“dannie,” said godfrey, who saw that the boy was loitering about as if waiting for something, “it’s[pg 166] time fur us to be lookin’ fur that bar’l agin, i reckon.”
“wal, ye can look then, if ye want to,” was the dutiful reply, “but i don’t stir one inch. i don’t want to see ole jordan’s haunt agin, an’ i don’t b’lieve the bar’l’s thar, nohow.”
“ye’ve hit centre agin, dannie, like ye allers do,” replied his father. “i don’t b’lieve it’s thar nuther; an’ if it is, ten acres is too much ground fur two fellers to dig up.”
“then whar be yer goin’?” asked dan, as godfrey arose to his feet and picked up his hat.
“wal, i ain’t agoin’ nowhars; but i can’t sleep arter losin’ them eighty thousand, so i am goin’ out to walk about a bit afore goin’ to bed. ye go in an’ stay with yer mam, like a good boy, an’ yer poor ole pop’ll go out an’ think over his hard luck.”
these words, and the way they were spoken, were enough to arouse dan’s suspicions at once. his father never called him a good boy or addressed him in that wheedling tone, unless he had an object to gain. and the fact that he was going off alone in the dark was another thing that looked suspicious. he had not done such a thing for long months; and after a little reflection dan very naturally arrived at[pg 167] the conclusion that there was something going on that his father did not want him to know anything about. he went into the house and stayed a minute or two, and then came out and hurried down the road towards general gordon’s lane.
meanwhile godfrey was making the best of his way toward the barn, where he expected to meet his new friend, clarence. he walked with noiseless footsteps, casting anxious glances on all sides of him, and acting altogether like a man who expected to encounter some terrible danger. indeed this was just what he did expect. he opened the creaking gate that led from the lane into the barn-yard, and was frightened almost out of his senses when he saw a dark figure rise suddenly into view and come toward him. his first impulse was to take to his heels; but he checked it and drew a long breath of relief when he heard a well-known voice say, in no very amiable tones:
“have you arrived at last? i began to think you were never coming.”
“yes, i’ve come,” replied godfrey, “but i ’most wish i had stayed to hum. ’tain’t honest, sich work as this yere hain’t. if thar’s a bar’l with eighty thousand dollars in gold an’ silver into it, hid in the[pg 168] gen’ral’s tater-patch, we’d oughter tell him, ’stead of goin’ an’ diggin’ it up ourselves!”
“hallo! what’s come over you all of a sudden?” demanded clarence, angrily. “you didn’t talk this way when i last saw you.”
“i know it; but it was daylight then.”
“yes; and now that it is dark you have turned coward, have you?”
“wal—no! but if i should see ole jordan’s white coat down thar in that tater-patch, i do think in my soul it would be the last of me.”
“well, you’ll not see him or his white coat, either. you haven’t heard of him for long years, and who knows but he is dead?”
“i’m sartin he is,” returned godfrey, earnestly.
“then you have nothing to fear from him.”
“not from him, i know; but his haunt is what bothers me. i’ve seed that once, an’ nobody can’t make me say i didn’t.”
“i’ll promise you that you shall never see it again,” said clarence, impatiently. “why, man alive, just think of it! some people would be willing to work and slave for a whole life time to make forty thousand dollars, and here we have a chance to dig it up in half an hour—in less time, too, if we[pg 169] happen to strike the right spot. doesn’t that thought put any courage or ambition into you?”
probably it did, for without another word godfrey seized the shovel that clarence extended toward him, and hurried away in the direction of the potato-patch.
we need not follow them any farther, for they did not find the hidden treasure that night. it will be enough to say that, following the example clarence set him, godfrey did something he had not done before for a number of years—he worked until he raised a copious perspiration; that he kept a bright look out for the eye of fire that had so badly frightened him and dan the night before; that he and his companion dug a dozen holes in what they supposed to be the most “likely” spots, in each case shovelling back the earth they had thrown out, so that their work might not attract the attention of any of the general’s field hands in the morning; that after three hours’ hard labor godfrey handed his shovel to clarence, who promised to put it back where he had found it; and that the two separated with mutual promises to meet again at the same place and hour on the following evening. neither of them were disheartened by their failure. on the contrary,[pg 170] godfrey was encouraged, for he had learned to his satisfaction that if old jordan’s haunt had really come back there to protect the barrel, he would not appear so long as clarence gordon was on the ground. he went home and slept soundly after his unusual exercise, and awoke the next morning feeling that he was nearer to attaining his hopes than he had ever been before.
“yes, jest a quarter of an acre nearer,” said he, “kase what ground we dug up last night, won’t never have to be dug up agin. mr. clarence is better to have along in sich work as that nor an army of them lazy dans would be, kase he ain’t afeared of nothing, an’ pitches in an’ does his share. it was jest amazin’ how he did fling the dirt outen them holes.”
breakfast being over godfrey’s pipe came into use, and he smoked and meditated during the best part of the forenoon. his family, as usual, were all away, and he had the premises to himself. there was no one to disturb him, and he could build air-castles to his heart’s content. in this agreeable occupation he passed the time until eleven o’clock, and was then called back to earth again, by the sound of footsteps coming rapidly along the road. he looked up, and saw that the one who had so rudely aroused him was[pg 171] his hopeful son dan, whose whole appearance indicated that he had something marvellous to communicate. one look was enough to satisfy godfrey of this fact, and his heart fairly came up into his mouth. he began to imagine all sorts of evil things directly; and being anxious to know the worst at once, he tried hard to speak to dan, but could not utter a sound to save his life.
dan lost no time in passing over the fifty yards that lay between him and the cabin. as he threw himself on the bench beside his father, his rifle slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground, and his head moved from side to side as if he had lost all control of it.
“now, then!” exclaimed godfrey, finding his tongue at last.
“o, pop!” cried dan, “it’s come. we did see it that night.”
“what’s come, an’ what night did we see it?”
“why, ole jordan’s haunt,” gasped dan. “i seed him jest now in broad daylight—i did, as sure’s i’m settin’ on this yere bench tellin’ ye—an’ thar was others seed him too; an’ thar was that eye of his’n in the middle of his head, an’ it kept a flickerin’[pg 172] an’ a winkin’ jest as it done that night in the dark. o, my soul!”
godfrey hardly knew what to do with himself, so terrified and astounded was he. he took his pipe out of his mouth, jumped up from the bench, and looked all around as if he were trying to make up his mind which way to run first.
“o, it ain’t a comin’ here,” said dan, who could tell by these movements what his father was thinking about. “it done went into the gen’ral’s barn. it’s got a hidin’-place in thar.”
these words reassured godfrey, who being satisfied that the terrible apparition was at a safe distance, seated himself on the bench again, and began to question dan. he hoped that the boy was mistaken, and that his very lively imagination had converted a stump or some other object he had seen in the woods, into what he supposed to be old jordan’s ghost; but dan gave his evidence in such a way, and was so very positive on every point on which his father asked information, that godfrey was obliged to believe that he had seen something wonderful. perhaps after the reader hears dan’s story he will believe it too. we will follow him, but tell it in our way.
dan said he had had better luck in the woods that[pg 173] morning than he usually did—the bunch of squirrels he exhibited, and to which he had held fast during his headlong flight, proved that statement—and having shot all the game he wanted, he was coming home by way of the general’s lane. he saw the hostler and two or three other negroes standing in front of the barn, and when he came up he found that they were holding an earnest consultation, and that they were all more or less frightened. dan at once inquired into the cause of their alarm, and was informed that something very strange and mysterious had just happened. the hostler was busy with his usual duties in the barn, and the others were at work in the field close by, when a queer-looking object suddenly made its appearance among them. it was dressed in a suit of white cottonade, and looked and acted like an old, decrepit negro; but it could not have been that, for if it had been, it would have returned some of the numerous greetings that were addressed to it. besides, it did not seem to hear or see anything.
it was first discovered by the hostler, and where it came from he couldn’t tell. it walked past him, and out at the door toward the place where the men were at work in the field. these—there were three[pg 174] of them—thought they recognised in it an old friend from whom they had long been separated, and throwing down their hoes they hurried toward the figure, extending their hands and crying out: “how do, uncle jordan!” but the figure paid no attention to them, and it finally dawned upon the negroes that it was not jordan after all, but his spirit, which had come back to visit the scenes with which the faithful slave had been familiar while in the flesh. after that the figure had all the room it wanted. the negroes backed off and watched it as it walked slowly about the barn-yard, and finally disappeared behind one of the corn-cribs. they waited for it to appear again, but as it did not, one of the boldest ventured to draw near and peep around the corner of the crib. there was no one in sight.
this made it evident that the object they had seen was a spirit, and nothing else; for if it had been a human being, it could not have got out from behind the corn-crib without being seen by some of the watchful negroes. the crib joined the barn, and there was no entrance to either of the buildings on that side that could be made available, except the door, and that could be seen through the front doors, which stood wide open. there was a window which[pg 175] opened into a storeroom in the barn, but it was securely nailed, and had not been opened for a number of years.
the negroes told this extraordinary story in low tones, and rolled the whites of their eyes and trembled and gave other indications that their minds were in a very unsettled state, and that a very small thing would get up a first-class panic among them. as dan listened the cold chills crept all over him, and his hair seemed to stand on end. what then must have been his terror when one of the negroes suddenly clapped his hands and shrieked:
“good lord a mussy, look down on us poor, miserable niggers! dar he is now!”
