“When I get set on a job,” answered the industrious captain, “I like to keep agoin’. I ain’t goin’ to let this one get cold on my hands. We’ve got to have those things, so hurry along and get ’em.”
By one o’clock, the supply expedition set sail, with a long list of needed material. In a half hour, Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Leighton being comfortably busy with their fancy work well up in the bow, Andy found opportunity to interview the mysterious Ba.
“Ba,” he began, “didn’t you like it over there in the Bahamas?”
“Didn’ Ah like it? Ah liked it all right in de big town—Ah liked it in Nassau, but dey ain’t gwine ’low me stay dar.”
“Why not?”
“’Case I done had my trial.”
“What did you do?”
“Me? Ah don’ do nuthin’. Me an’ Robert was in de sisal fiel’ and dar was de machete. Dis Robert he done say de machete was hissen. An’ I done rutch ober and tuck it to gib it to him. An’ Robert he riz up an’ cut hissef on de neck. Ah don’ do nuthin’.”
“Then what?” urged the interested boy.
“De big judge he jes look at me, an’ den dey put me in de jail.”