no way to help Mas'r."

"I shall take the straight road to the river," said Haley, decidedly,
after they had come to the boundaries of the estate. "I know the way of
all of 'em,--they makes tracks for the underground."

"Sartin," said Sam, "dat's de idee. Mas'r Haley hits de thing right
in de middle. Now, der's two roads to de river,--de dirt road and der
pike,--which Mas'r mean to take?"

Andy looked up innocently at Sam, surprised at hearing this new
geographical fact, but instantly confirmed what he said, by a vehement
reiteration.

"Cause," said Sam, "I'd rather be 'clined to 'magine that Lizy 'd take
de dirt road, bein' it's the least travelled."

Haley, notwithstanding that he was a very old bird, and naturally
inclined to be suspicious of chaff, was rather brought up by this view
of the case.

"If yer warn't both on yer such cussed liars, now!" he said,
contemplatively as he pondered a moment.

The pensive, reflective tone in which this was spoken appeared to
amuse Andy prodigiously, and he drew a little behind, and shook so as
apparently to run a great risk of failing off his horse, while Sam's
face was immovably composed into the most doleful gravity.

"Course," said Sam, "Mas'r can do as he'd ruther, go de straight road,