"I been right here all mornin', sah," Andy answered with forced surprise.
"You didn't hear that bell?"
"Nasah, nebber hear a thing, sah."
Norton looked at him severely:
"There's a bigger bell going to ring for you one of these days. You like to go to funerals, don't you?"
Andy laughed:
"Yassah—odder folk's funerals—but dey's one I ain't in no hurry to git to——"
"That's the one—where were you when I rang just now?"
The negro looked at his master, hesitated, and a broad grin overspread his black face. He bowed and chuckled and walked straight up to Norton:
"Yassah, major, I gwine tell yer de honest truf now, cose honesty is de bes' policy. I wuz des embellishin' mysef wid dis here ole suit er close dat ye gimme, sah, an' I wants ter specify my 'preciation, sah, at de generosity wid which yer always treats me, sah. I had a mos' particular reason fer puttin' dis suit on dis mornin'——"