Prisoners of Hope | Page 5

dark green piles. In the distance the blue of the bay melted
into the blue of the sky, while the nearer waters mirrored every passing
gull, the masts of the fishing boats, the tall marsh grass, the dead twigs
marking oyster beds--each object had its double. On a point of marshy
ground stood a line of cranes, motionless as soldiers on parade, until,
taking fright as the great sail glided past, they whirred off, uttering
discordant cries and with their legs sticking out like tail feathers.
Slowly, and keeping to the middle of the channel, the boat came on.
Upon the long low deck men were preparing to lower the sail, and a
portly gentleman standing in the bow was vigorously waving his
handkerchief. The sail came down with a rush, the anchor swung
overboard, and half a dozen canoes and dugouts shot from under the
shadow of the wharf and across the strip of water between it and the
sloop. The gentleman with the handkerchief, followed by a man plainly
dressed in brown, sprang into the foremost; the others waited for their
lading of merchandise.
Before the boat had touched the steps the master of the plantation
began to call out greetings to his expectant family.
"Patricia, my darling, are you in health? Charles, I am happy to see you

again! Sister Lettice, Mr. Frederick Jones sends you his humble
services."
"La, brother! and how is the dear man?" screamed Mistress Lettice.
"As well as 'tis in nature to be, with his heart at Verney Manor and his
body at Flowerdieu Hundred."
The boat jarred against the piles and the planter stepped out, grasping
Sir Charles's extended hand.
"Again, I am happy to see you, Charles," he cried in a round and jovial
voice. "I have been telling my up-river good friends that I have the
most topping fellow in all London for my guest, and you will have
company enough anon."
Sir Charles smiled and bowed. "I hope, sir, that you were successful in
the business that took you to Jamestown?"
"Fairly so, fairly so. Haines here," with a wave of the hand towards the
man in brown, "had a lot picked out for me to choose from. I have six
negroes and three of those blackguards from Newgate--mighty poor
policy to shoulder ourselves with such gaol sweepings. I doubt we'll
repent it some day. The blacks come by way of Boston, which means
that they will have to be cockered up considerably before they are fit
for work. Is that you, Woodson? How have things gone on?"
The overseer took his pipe from between his teeth and made an
awkward bow.
"Glad to see your Honor back," he said deferentially. "Everything's all
right, sir. The last rain helped the corn amazingly, and the tobacco's
prime. The lightning struck a shed, but we got the flames out before
they reached the hogsheads. The Nancy got caught in a squall; lost both
masts and ran aground on Gull Marsh. The tide will take her off at the
full of the moon. Sambo 's been playing 'possum again. Said he'd cut
his foot with his hoe so badly that he couldn't stand upon it. Said I
could see that by the blood on the rag that tied it up. I made him take

off the rag and wash the foot, and there wa'n't no cut there. The blood
was puccoon. If he'd waited a bit he could 'a' had all he wanted to paint
with, for I gave him the rope's end, lively, until Mistress Patricia heard
him yelling and made me stop."
"All right, Woodson. I reckon the plantation knows by this time that
what Mistress Patricia says is law. Here come the boats with the boxes.
Tell the men to be careful how they handle them."
After a hearty word or two to tenants and land owners the worthy
Colonel joined his daughter and sister; and together with Sir Charles
Carew they watched the precious boxes conveyed up the slippery steps,
the overseer shouting directions, plentifully sprinkled with selected,
unfinable oaths to the panting boatmen. When all were safely piled
upon the wharf ready to be wheeled to the great house, the empty boats
swung off to make room for others, laden with the colonel's Jamestown
purchases.
One by one the articles climbed the stairs, each as it reached the level
being claimed by the overseer and told off into a lengthening line. Six
were negroes, gaunt and hollow-eyed, but smiling widely. They gazed
around them, at the heap of clams and oysters piled upon the wharf, at
the marshes, alive with wild fowl, at the distant green of waving corn,
the flower-embowered great house, the white quarters from which
arose many little spirals of savory smoke, and a bland