Mass' George, by George Manville Fenn.
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George Bruton, son of Captain Bruton is a young teenager. His father's
plantation is in Georgia. The time is around the middle of the
eighteenth century. Although not keen on the idea of slavery, Captain
Bruton determines that he will buy one of them and will try to treat him
extremely well. The man has a son, whom the family nickname Pompey,
Pomp for short. Eventually these two become relaxed, realising that
there will be no hard treatment for them, and the two boys, George and
Pomp, become fast friends. They have various adventures, including
attacks by alligators, floods, fire, Red Indians, Spaniards, snakes,
ants, and several other nasties.
The book very largely consists of dialogue between the two boys,
starting at the point when Pomp can barely speak English, which he soon
masters after a fashion (which his father never does), and going on to
the point when Captain Bruton decides to free the two slaves, who had
comported themselves well during a prolonged series of attacks by
Indians, and later by Spaniards from Florida as well.
It's quite a long book, but the action is well-sustained, and you will
enjoy it. NH
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