Herman Basket

Herman Basket is a friend and associate of Doom and "pappy" (the biological father of Sam Fathers). He is Sam's primary source of information for the story about how his parents met. Basket and "pappy" have apparently known Doom since they were children "sleeping on the same pallet and talking at night, as boys will" (345). Although the exact nature of Basket's relationship with Doom is unclear, he is a confidant of the chief, as Doom summons Herman to meet him at the riverboat landing after seven years absence, shows Herman first the poison he has brought with him, and offers to give Herman the slaves he won on the boat.