Uncle Tom's Cabin: Novel Summary: Chapters 4-6

Chapter 4: That evening Uncle Tom and Aunt Chloe were holding a prayer meeting in their cabin.  Aunt Chloe, who was the cook in the house, was making food for her children and for the young master, George who was with them.  George read to them from their bible, and they all sang.  Aunt Chloe and Uncle Tom both seemed very pious and generous people who looked out for others on the plantation.  That evening in the parlor, Mr. Shelby agreed to give Uncle Tom and Harry to Mr. Haley to settle his debts.  He also made Haley agree to only give Tom to people with good character.  Haley said that if it was possible, he would. 
Chapter 5: That night while preparing for bed, Mrs. Shelby asked why Mr. Haley came to dinner.  Mr. Shelby told his wife that he had business with the man.  Mrs. Shelby then addressed what she and Eliza talked about that day, and Mr. Shelby told her that he had sold Tom and Harry to the man.  Mrs. Shelby was horrified and angry, saying that slavery itself was wrong and that they had promised Tom his freedom. Mr. Shelby told her that it was the only thing he could do because if he did not, they would lose everything.  While the conversation was going on, Eliza was in the closet listening.  She slipped out, and went to her room.  While there, she gathered a few things and her son, and left a note saying that she had to leave.  She thanked Mrs. Shelby for the kind upbringing but she had to try to save her son.  After Eliza left the house, she went to Uncle Tom's cabin, and told him about the sale.  Aunt Chloe told Tom he should go too, but he refused saying that it would be better for everyone else if he was sold because it would save the farm. 
Chapter 6: The next morning the Shelby's slept late and when Mrs. Shelby pulled her bell for Eliza she began to wonder why Eliza didn't come.  Finally she sent another slave to Eliza's room to see if she was okay.  The slave returned reporting of the note that Eliza had left when she ran away.  Mr. Haley arrived to pick up his property, and was upset to find out that some of it was missing.  They sent for two other slaves, Andy and Black Sam, to get horses ready for the search for Eliza and Harry.  When Sam didn't bring the horses quick enough, Mrs. Shelby went to talk to him.  She gave him a hint that she didn't want Eliza caught because she didn't want Harry in the hands of a slave trader.  Sam understood, and put a sharp nut under the saddle of the horse that Mr. Haley was going to use.  Sam, Andy, and Mr. Haley were ready to ride out when Mr. Haley got on the horse, and it immediately bolted.  The horse had to be caught and calmed down, which delayed their search even longer.