Thepeoplecouldnotunderstandthis。Theboy’smiserieswentsteadilyon，weekafterweek。Itisquitelikelythatthepeoplewouldhaveunderstoodiftheyhadknownhowhewasemployinghissparetime。Hesleptinanout—cabinnearFlint’s;andthere，nights，henursedhisbruisesandhishumiliations，andstudiedandstudiedoverasingleproblem——howhecouldmurderFlintBucknerandnotbefoundout。Itwastheonlyjoyhehadinlife;thesehoursweretheonlyonesinthetwenty—fourwhichhelookedforwardtowitheagernessandspentinhappiness。
Hethoughtofpoison。No——thatwouldnotserve;theinquestwouldrevealwhereitwasprocuredandwhohadprocuredit。HethoughtofashotinthebackinalonelyplacewhenFlintwouldbehomewardboundatmidnight——hisunvaryinghourforthetrip。No——somebodymightbenear，andcatchhim。Hethoughtofstabbinghiminhissleep。No——hemightstrikeaninefficientblow，andFlintwouldseizehim。Heexaminedahundreddifferentways——noneofthemwouldanswer;forineventheveryobscurestandsecretestofthemtherewasalwaysthefataldefectofarisk，achance，apossibilitythathemightbefoundout。Hewouldhavenoneofthat。
Buthewaspatient，endlesslypatient。Therewasnohurry，hesaidtohimself。HewouldneverleaveFlinttillhelefthimacorpse;therewasnohurry——hewouldfindtheway。Itwassomewhere，andhewouldendureshameandpainandmiseryuntilhefoundit。Yes，somewheretherewasawaywhichwouldleavenotatrace，noteventhefaintestcluetothemurderer——therewasnohurry——hewouldfindthatway，andthen——oh，then，itwouldjustbegoodtobealive！Meantimehewoulddiligentlykeepuphisreputationformeekness;andalso，asalwaystheretofore，hewouldallownoonetohearhimsayaresentfuloroffensivethingabouthisoppressor。
Twodaysbeforethebefore—mentionedOctobermorningFlinthadboughtsomethings，andheandFetlockhadbroughtthemhometoFlint’scabin:afreshboxofcandles，whichtheyputinthecorner;atincanofblasting—powder，whichtheyplaceduponthecandle—box;akegofblasting—powder，whichtheyplacedunderFlint’sbunk;ahugecoiloffuse，whichtheyhungonapeg。FetlockreasonedthatFlint’sminingoperationshadoutgrownthepick，andthatblastingwasabouttobeginnow。Hehadseenblastingdone，andhehadanotionoftheprocess，buthehadneverhelpedinit。Hisconjecturewasright——blasting—timehadcome。Inthemorningthepaircarriedfuse，drills，andthepowder—cantotheshaft;itwasnoweightfeetdeep，andtogetintoitandoutofitashortladderwasused。Theydescended，andbycommandFetlockheldthedrill——withoutanyinstructionsastotherightwaytoholdit——andFlintproceededtostrike。Thesledgecamedown;thedrillsprangoutofFetlock’shand，almostasamatterofcourse。
\"Youmangysonofanigger，isthatanywaytoholdadrill？Pickitup！