Chapter 10

           Attheendofamonth,myservicesbeingnolongerrequiredatTanner’sIwassentoverthebayouagaintomymaster,whomIfoundengagedinbuildingthecottonpress. Thiswassituatedatsomedistancefromthegreathouse,inaratherretiredplace. IcommencedworkingoncemoreincompanywithTibeats,beingentirelyalonewithhimmostpartofthetime. IrememberedthewordsofChapin,hisprecautions,hisadvicetobeware,lestinsomeunsuspectingmomenthemightinjureme. Theywerealwaysinmymind,sothatIlivedinamostuneasystateofapprehensionandfear. Oneeyewasonmywork,theotheronmymaster. Ideterminedtogivehimnocauseofoffence,toworkstillmorediligently,ifpossible,thanIhaddone,tobearwhateverabusehemightheapuponme,savebodilyinjury,humblyandpatiently, hopingtherebytosofteninsomedegreehismannertowardsme,untiltheblessedtimemightcomewhenIshouldbedeliveredfromhisclutches. 

           Thethirdmorningaftermyreturn,ChapinlefttheplantationforCheneyville,tobeabsentuntilnight. Tibeats,onthatmorning,wasattackedwithoneofthoseperiodicalfitsofspleenandill-humortowhichhewasfrequentlysubject,renderinghimstillmoredisagreeableandvenomousthanusual. 

           Itwasaboutnineo’clockintheforenoon,whenIwasbusilyemployedwiththejack-planeononeofthesweeps. Tibeatswasstandingbythework-bench,fittingahandleintothechisel,withwhichhehadbeenengagedpreviouslyincuttingthethreadofthescrew. 

           "Youarenotplaningthatdownenough,"saidhe.