Hadhebeenamanofpleasantmanners，hewouldgraduallyhavemadehisway；buthewasevidentlynotagentleman。Thehabitsoftradestucktohim，andinaveryshorttimetherewererumorsthattheslaves，whomhehadboughtwiththeproperty，foundhimaharshandcruelmaster。ThisinitselfwouldhavebeensufficienttobringhimdisreputeinVirginia，whereasaruletheslavesweretreatedwithgreatkindness，andindeedconsideredtheirpositiontobeinfinitelysuperiortothatofthepoorerclassofwhites。AndrewJacksonhadbeenforafewmonthsatschoolwithVincent；hewasunpopularthere，andfromtherumorscurrentastothetreatmentofIheslavesontheestate，wasknownbythenicknameofhe\"slave-driver。\"
HadVincentbeenthesonofawhitetrader，rasmallcultivator，heknewwellenoughthathispositionwouldbeaveryseriousone，andthathewouldhavehadtoridetotheborderoftheStatewithallspeed。HewouldhavebeendenouncedatonceasanAbolitionist，andwouldhavebeenaccusedofstirringuptheslavestorebellion。againsttheirmasters；acrimeofthemostseriouskind\'，intheSouthernStates。Butplacedashewas，astheheirofagreatestateworkedbyslaves，suchacrycouldhardlyberaisedagainsthim。Hemightdoubtlessbefinedandadmonished1\'orinterferingbetweenamasterandhisslave；butthesympathyofthebetterclassesinVirginiawouldbeentirelywithhim。Vincent，therefore，wasbutlittleconcernedforhimself；buthedoubtedgreatlywhetherhisinterferencehadnotdonemuchmoreharmthangoodtotheslaveandhiswife，foruponthemAndrewJacksonwouldventhisfury。Herodedirecttothestablesinsteadofalightingasusualatthedoor。Dan，whohadbeensittingintheverandawaitingforhim，randowntothestablesashesawhimcoming。
\"Givethehorsetooneoftheothers，Dan；Iwanttospeaktoyou。
Dan，\"hewentonwhenhehadwalkedwithhimashortdistancefromthestaNes，\"IsupposeyouknowsomeofthehandsonJackson\'splantation。\"
Dangrinned，foralthoughtherewasnotsupposedtoheanycommunicationbetweentheslavesonthedifferentestates，itwasnotoriousthatatnighttheywereinthehabitofslippingoutoftheirhutsandvisitingeachother。