"There wasn't but only this 'un," McAndrews replied, with renewed timidity in his voice, scarcely concealed, and jerking his thumb toward me.
"But the little nigger said they was—ain't that so, nigger?"
"Yassir, boss—I done seen two o' dem go in dar!" replied a wisp of a negro boy, rolling wide eye-whites in fright, and wedged in among the hulking posse.
"Well, this 'un's all I seen!" protested the night watchman, "an' you betcher I looked about mighty keerful ... wot time did you see 'um break in?" turning to the negro child.
"Jes' at daylight, boss!"
"An' wot was you-all a-doin' down hee-ar?"
"He was a-stealin' coal f'um the coalkiars," put in one of the posse, "in cohse!"
All laughed.
"Anyhow, I done seed two o' dem," protested the boy, comically, "wot evah else I done!"
Everybody was now hilarious.