the prisoner.

"I bery sorry for you, Missa Basset," he said, "and if you wait
awhile, I go to de village to git a rope to haul you out."

But this proposition was far from suiting the constable. Now that
assistance was near at hand, he dreaded to lose it out of sight or
hearing. He knew there was no necessity for procuring any rope, and
feared that if Primus put his threatened plan into execution, he would
bring along with him a rabble of men and boys, to jeer at and ridicule
his sufferings. This now seemed worse than all he had already endured;
he was, therefore, willing to make any compromise to avert the
disaster.

"Don't go, don't go, Prime," begged the constable. "Just give us your
hand, and pull us out of this infarnal place. There's no need of any
rope."

"But suppose you pull me in arter you, what we do den? De fire would
be all in de fat. Beside, you talk as if you respect me. No, I tink I
be safer if oder folks be here, too."

"O, Prime," whined Basset, "you hain't no better friend in the world
than me, and no more bowels of marcy than a stump. I tell ye, I don't
suspect you. Lend us a hand, and I'll never forget it, the longest day
I have to live."

"Well," said the General, "you must make us a promise, fust."

"What promise? I'll make any promise you please, only do help us out.