‘One day Eva sat near Uncle Tom. Uncle Torn was cutting little baskets out of cherry-stones, drawing funny faces on nut-shells and making whistles out of small pieces of stick.

After a while, he spoke to Eva. “What is the little missy’s name?” he asked.

“Eva,” said the little one, “And what is your name?”

“My name’s Tom,” he said. “The little children used to call me Uncle Tom at my old home.”

“Then I shall call you Uncle Tom, because I like you,” said Eva. “Where are you going, Uncle Tom?”
“I don’t know, Miss Eva.”

“You don’t know!” said Eva in surprise. “You must know where you are going!”

“No, I only know that I am going to a slave market to be sold to some new master. I cannot say who he is.”

“I shall ask my papa to buy you then,” said Eva. “If he buys you will have good times with us.”

“Thank you, my little lady,” said Uncle Tom.
Soon after, the boat stopped for a short time while the boatmen hauled up a load of wood. Tom helped them in their work. Eva and her father stood at the boat-rail, talking and looking on.

When all the wood had been hauled on board, the boat set off again down the river. It started with a sudden jerk, so sudden that little Eva slipped over the side of the boat, and fell into the water.
Her father was going to dive in after his little daughter who was in danger of being drowned, but he saw that someone else had been quicker. It was Uncle Tom.
Tom was a good swimmer, and before long he had the little girl in his strong grasp. Soon he brought her to the side of the boat and both of them, dripping but not much the worse, were lifted safely on board.
The next day Eva’s father, to show his thanks, bought Uncle Tom from the slave merchant. So little Eva had her wish.

Eva’s father made Tom his coachman, for the old slave knew all about horses. Soon Tom was his most trusted servant and he was very happy in his new home.’
Grandfather stood up and lit his pipe again. ‘Well, children,’ he said. ‘Did that story please you?
‘It was splendid,’ said Paul. ‘Is that all of it?’
‘No, that is not all,’ said Grandfather. ‘When you are older, you will read the whole story in a book called Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I am sure that you will like it.’
‘We shall,’ said the children together.