The housekeeper then bade him good-night, saying that she was going
at once to her room.
"Umph!" assented Black Donald. And so they parted and this peril was
passed.
Black Donald went up the second flight of stairs and then down a
back passage and a narrow staircase and along a corridor and through
several untenanted rooms, and into another passage, and finally
through a side door leading into Capitola's chamber.
Here he looked around for a safe hiding-place--there was a high
bedstead curtained; two deep windows also curtained; two closets, a
dressing bureau, workstand, washstand and two arm chairs. The
forethought of little Pitapat had caused her to kindle a fire on the
hearth and place a waiter of refreshments on the workstand, so as to
make all comfortable before she had left with the other negroes to
go to the banjo breakdown.
Among the edibles Pitapat had been careful to leave a small bottle
of brandy, a pitcher of cream, a few eggs and some spice, saying to
herself, "Long as it was Christmas time Miss Caterpillar might want
a sup of egg nog quiet to herself, jes' as much as old marse did his
whiskey punch"--and never fancying that her young mistress would
require a more delicate lunch than her old master.
Black Donald laughed as he saw this outlay, and remarking that the
young occupant of the chamber must have an appetite of her own, he
put the neck of the brandy bottle to his lips and took what he
called "a heavy swig.
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