She's slender; but these yer slender gals will bear half killin' to get their own way!" "Wal, Lucy was real aggravatin' and lazy, sulkin' round; wouldn't do nothin,--and Tom he stuck up for her." "He did, eh! Wal, then, Tom shall have the pleasure of flogging her.
It'll be a good practice for him, and he won't put it on to the gal like you devils, neither." "Ho, ho! haw! haw! haw!" laughed both the sooty wretches; and the diabolical sounds seemed, in truth, a not unapt expression of the fiendish character which Legree gave them.
"Wal, but, Mas'r, Tom and Misse Cassy, and dey among 'em, filled Lucy's basket.

I ruther guess der weight 's in it, Mas'r!" "_I do the weighing!_" said Legree, emphatically.
Both the drivers again laughed their diabolical laugh.
"So!" he added, "Misse Cassy did her day's work." "She picks like de debil and all his angels!" "She's got 'em all in her, I believe!" said Legree; and, growling a brutal oath, he proceeded to the weighing-room.
Slowly the weary, dispirited creatures, wound their way into the room, and, with crouching reluctance, presented their baskets to be weighed.
Legree noted on a slate, on the side of which was pasted a list of names, the amount.
Tom's basket was weighed and approved; and he looked, with an anxious glance, for the success of the woman he had befriended.
Tottering with weakness, she came forward, and delivered her basket.

It was of full weight, as Legree well perceived; but, affecting anger, he said, "What, you lazy beast! short again! stand aside, you'll catch it, pretty soon!" The woman gave a groan of utter despair, and sat down on a board.
The person who had been called Misse Cassy now came forward, and, with a haughty, negligent air, delivered her basket.

As she delivered it, Legree looked in her eyes with a sneering yet inquiring glance.
She fixed her black eyes steadily on him, her lips moved slightly, and she said something in French.

What it was, no one knew; but Legree's face became perfectly demoniacal in its expression, as she spoke; he half raised his hand, as if to strike,--a gesture which she regarded with fierce disdain, as she turned and walked away.
"And now," said Legree, "come here, you Tom.