“Yes, I hear what you say, sir.”

“Then why don’t you speak?”

“’Cause I haven’t nothing good to say.”

“Oh, Samson, there is no bad news?”

“No, sir; there’s no bad news at all.”

“Then what do you mean? What have you heard?”

“Don’t, don’t ask me, my lad.”

“But I do ask you, and I will know.”

“I only know what the men think, and of course that may mean nothing.”

“What do they think?”