“Dat won’t do,” Vinegar Atts bellowed, as he looked with proprietary eye upon the vessel. “Less call her by some high-soundin’ name.”
“Less call her de Skeeter Butts?” the little barkeeper promptly suggested.
“Naw!” the three other men whooped.
Skeeter giggled.
“I figger dar will be three votes agin any yuther nigger’s name in dis bunch,” he said. “Less call her de Hen-Scratch.”
“Naw!” the trio bellowed. “A saloom ain’t no fitten name fer a boat.”
“Less call her de Shoo-fly.”
“Naw!” the bunch howled. “We don’t name no boat after a Mefdis meetin’-house.”
Finally Skeeter said:
“I motions dat we leave it to Pipe Smash to name de boat fer us!”