nearly midnight
He walked off , saying to himself : `` A nigger who is a traitor to his race ought to be shot , but for fear of a noise and disturbin ' the ladies -- I 'll hang 'em both , -- never fear . '' Travis touched his mare with the spur and galloped off . Uncle Bisco and his wife were rudely awakened . It was nearly midnight when the door of their old cabin was broken open by a dozen black , ignorant negroes , who seized and bound the old couple before they could cry out . Bisco was taken out into the yard under a tree , while his wife , pleading and begging for her husband 's life , was tied to another tree . `` Bisco , '' said the leader , `` we cum heah to pay you back fur de blood you drawed frum our backs whilst you hilt de whip ob slabery an ' oberseed fur white fo ` ks . An ' fur ebry lick you giv ' us , we gwi ' giv ' you er dozen on your naked back , an ' es fur dis ole witch , '' said the brute , pointing to old Aunt Charity , `` we got de plain docyments on her fur witchin ' Br ` er Moses ' little gal -- de same dat she mek hab fits , an ' we gwi ' hang her to a lim ' . ''