BREAKFAST ON BOARD THE ISABEL.
"Now, Cyd, get up the furnace, and make a fire," said Dan, as soon as
the sails of the Isabel had been furled, and the boat carefully secured
to a tree on the shore.
"Sartin," replied Cyd, as he took off the hatch of the stow-hold. "Who's
gwine to be de cook, Dan?"
"Do you know how to cook, Cyd?"
"Hossifus! I don't know nossin at all 'bout it."
"Neither do I; and I think Lily does not. I will try my hand at the
business first. We can make some coffee, boil the potatoes, and fry the
bacon. I am sure I can do that."
"So kin Cyd."
"Just as soon as we get to the place where we are going, we will divide
the work between us. You shall be cook one week, and I will the next
week. Now bring up the bacon, the potatoes, and the coffee."
Old Jake, who was to do the cooking for the excursionists, had provided
every thing that would be needed for the purpose. In a short time the
fires were blazing in the two furnaces, the coffee and the potatoes were
boiling upon one, and the other was in readiness for the frying-pan,
when the other articles should be in a sufficiently forward state to
require its use.
Though Dan had never actually turned his hand to the business of
cooking, he had so often seen the various operations performed, that he
was competent to do it himself, after acquiring a little experience. He
was a keen observer, and whenever he saw any thing done, he could
generally do it himself.
In the forward part of the cabin of the Isabel, reaching from the
foremast to the centre-board, was a fixed table; and while Dan was
cooking the bacon, Cyd prepared it for the morning meal. They had every
thing which could be found in any well-ordered house, and the table had
more the appearance of that of a first-class hotel than one provided for
the use of the runaway slaves.
"Possifus!" exclaimed Cyd, when the table was ready, as he sat down upon
the berth to observe the effect. "Dat's bery fine! Cyd, you'se gwine to
set down to dat table. You'se a free nigger, now, Cyd, and jes as good
as de best ob dem. Dar's de bread, dar's de pickles, dar's de butter,
dar's de sugar, dar's de milk, dar's de salt, dar's de castor. Gossifus!
All dat's bery fine, and Cyd's gwine to set down at de fus table."
"Here, Cyd," called Dan, through the sky-light, as he proceeded to pass
down the breakfast. "Put them on the table."
"Mossifus! Do you think Cyd don't know what to do wid dese yere tings? I
knows what fried bacon's fur!"
The potatoes, the bacon, and the coffee were handed down, and when they
were placed upon the table, the effect called forth another rhapsody
from Cyd. While he was apostrophizing the bacon and the potatoes, he was
joined by Dan.
"Come, Lily," said he; "breakfast is ready."
"Hossifus! We forgot one ting for sartin," exclaimed Cyd, suddenly
looking as sober as though he had not a friend in the world.
"What, Cyd."
"De bell."
"Bell? What do we want of a bell?"
"To call de folks to breakfas, to be sure," replied Cyd, distending his
mouth from ear to ear.
"I think we can get along without a bell," replied Dan, laughing at the
folly of his companion.
Lily joined the boys in the forward cabin, as they called the space
forward of the centre-board. She looked as pleased and happy as Dan and
Cyd; and one would hardly have believed, from their appearance, that
they were fugitives from slavery. All the talk about the chilly damps of
the swamp, the perils and the hardships of the flight, appeared to have
been forgotten. The planter and his son could hardly have been more
jovial than the party which had taken possession of the yacht.
Cyd was not accustomed to the refinements of social life, as Dan and
Lily had been, and he began to behave in a very indecorous and
remarkable manner. As it was all in the family, Dan ventured to suggest
to him that, as he was now seated at a gentleman's table, he should
behave in a gentlemanly manner, and not eat bacon from his fingers, when
a knife and fork had been especially provided for this purpose. Cyd
accepted the rebuke, and thereafter imitated the manners of his
companions, even carrying his ideas of gentility to extremes.
The cooking was a decided success, with the exception of the coffee,
which was very muddy and uninviting. This was not strange, inasmuch as
none of the chemical conditions, upon which good coffee is produced, had
been complied with. It was nothing but coffee and water stewed together.
Dan was mortified, and apologized for the failure.
"How did you make it, Dan?" asked Lily, with a smile, which fully spoke
the offender's pardon.
"I put the coffee in, and then the water," replied the amateur cook,
with a blush.
"Hot water?"
"No, cold."
Lily laughed aloud at this blunder, and then gave him a receipt for
making good coffee, which included the use of boiling water and
fish-skin.
"I saw that fish-skin in the locker, and I couldn't think what it was
for?" laughed Dan.
But the breakfast was finished, and, in spite of the drawback of poor
coffee, it was pronounced satisfactory, especially by Cyd, whose
plantation rations had not included coffee, butter, white bread, and
other articles which graced the table of the Isabel.
"Now, Dan and Cyd, you can go away and do what you please," said Lily.
"We will clear up the table and wash the dishes first," replied Dan.
"No; I am going to do that."
"You, Lily?"
"I am going to do my share of the work. I can't manage a boat, but I
think I can cook, and take care of the cabin, set the table, and do
every thing that belongs to the women."
"I didn't mean to have you work, Lily," said Dan. "You have been a
lady's-maid all your life, and never did any work."
"Well, I know how; and I'm going to do my share. I should not feel right
to live like a lady here. I mean to do all the work in the cabin, and
the cooking too."
"No, Cyd and I will do that."
"Mossifus! Do all dat, and all de rest too."
"I must do something, or I should be very unhappy."
"Well, Lily, you shall have your own way; and while you are clearing off
the table, Cyd and I will prepare the lady's cabin."
"The what?" asked Lily.
"Your cabin; you shall have a room all to yourself."
Dan left the cabin, followed by Cyd. Taking from one of the lockers, in
the standing room, an awning which was used to spread over the forward
deck, he unrolled it, and proceeded to make his calculations, while Cyd
stood by, scratching his head and wondering what was going to be done.
The cabin of the Isabel was entered by two doors, one on each side of
the centre-board, which divided the after cabin into two apartments.
Dan, after measuring the cabin, cut the awning to the size required,
and then nailed it up as a partition between the forward and the after
cabin. The space thus enclosed formed a state room, six feet long and
three feet wide, outside of the berth. This room could be entered only
by the door from the standing room. It made a very neat and comfortable
chamber, and Lily was much pleased with it.
By the time the dishes were washed and put away, there was considerable
gaping among the party. Cyd opened his mouth fearfully wide, and Miss
Lily's eyelids drooped, like her fragrant namesake, when its mission on
earth is nearly finished. The fugitives had come to the knowledge that
they had slept none during the preceding night, and as the voyage was to
be continued when darkness favored the movement, it was necessary that
the hours should be appropriated to slumber. Lily retired to her new
state room, closed the door, and was soon asleep.
"Now, Cyd, one of us must turn in," said Dan.
"Can't we bof turn in?"
"No; one of us must stand watch while the other sleeps. We have been
getting along so finely, that we have almost forgot that we are in
danger."
"Possifus!" gasped Cyd. "Wha--wha--what you want to keep watch fur?"
"Suppose any one should come upon us while we are asleep?" added Dan.
"'Pose any one come 'pon us when we're awake: what den? Who's a gwine to
help hisself?" yawned Cyd.
"I am, for one. I shall not be taken, if I can help it."
"Gossifus! What you gwine to do? 'Pose you see de nigger hunter, wid
tree, four dozen bloodhounds: wha--wha--what you gwine to do den?"
"I'm going to fight! And you must do the same!" replied Dan, with
energy, as he grasped one of the fowling-pieces that lay upon the bunk.
"Gwine to fight!" cried Cyd, opening his eyes with astonishment. "Gwine
to kill de dogs and kill de men?"
"That's what I mean. I will shoot man or dog that attempts to touch me."
"Wha--wha--wha--" stammered Cyd, as he always did when excited; but the
idea was too big for him just then, and he broke down altogether.
"That's a settled point, and you must learn to use a gun."
"Woo--woo--woo--would you shoot Massa Kun'l, if he come for to take
you?" demanded Cyd.
"I would, or any other man. I belong to myself now, and I will fight for
my own freedom to the last."
"I dunno 'bout dat, Dan," mused Cyd. "Hossifus! Shoot Massa Kun'l! Dunno
'bout dat."
"Turn in, Cyd, and go to sleep. You may have the first chance."
The two boys drew lots for the choice of berths, and Dan obtained the
after one. Cyd was soon snoring in one of the forward bunks, while Dan
took his place upon deck to guard against the approach of man or beast
that might threaten their newly-acquired freedom.