There was something in his way of digging that seemed familiar, and I
stopped and stared. The man stopped too, and glanced in my direction;
but he only scraped his spade and went on, while, as soon as I had seen
his profile I ran up to him and held out my hand.
"Why, Ike!" I cried, "is that you?"
He paused for a few moments, ran his hand over his nose, involuntarily,
I'm sure, glanced down at first one leg, and then the other, after which
he went on digging.
"Yes," he said; "it's me."
"Why, what are you doing here?"
"Digging," he said gruffly, and, turning up a spadeful of earth, he gave
it a blow with the spade, as if he were boxing its ears, and levelled it
smoothly.
"I know that," I cried; "but how is it you're here?"
"Got took on."
"Oh! I am glad," I cried.
He looked up at me sidewise, and drove his spade in again.
"No, you ain't," he said gruffly.
"Indeed I am, Ike," I cried, "though you wouldn't say good-bye."
"Now--now--now--now!" he cried; "don't go on that how."
"Did you come this morning?" I said.
"Been here 'most a week."
"And I didn't know! But why did you leave Mr Brownsmith?"
"I left Old Brownsmith because I wanted to leave him."
"Did you have a quarrel, Ike?"
"Quarrel? No! What should I want to quarrel for?"
"But why did you leave?"
"'Cause I liked. Man ain't a slave, is he?"
"I am glad you're here, though, Ike," I cried.
"Not you," he said sourly, as he thrust and chopped and levelled the
soil.
"Indeed but I am," I cried. "Yes, sir, coming," I shouted, for I heard
Mr Solomon asking for me.
I went to him, and he set me to water the pots that had been plunged
under the big wall; but on going to the pump in the middle of the big
walk, where the well was that we used for this garden, I found the
handle swing loosely up and down.
I went and told Mr Solomon that there was no water to be had there.
"I thought as much!" he cried angrily. "I saw those boys jerking the
handle about yesterday. Here, Bunce!"
Bunce was sent off with a message, and I went about some other task,
glad to find that Ike was there at work, for somehow I liked him, though
I did not know why, since he was always very gruff and snappish with me.
But still it seemed as if he had come to Hampton because I was there.
The next morning, after breakfast, as I went down the garden I found
that Mr Solomon was by the well talking to a man who carried a basket
of tools.