"Good morning, Major." It was the voice of the County Judge.
"Good morning, sir. I see you have a gun. Don't you think it impolitic? But pardon me. This is no time for ill-humored banter."
The Judge bowed. "Now I recall John Cranceford, the soldier," said he. "This is a great pity that has come upon us, Major," he added.
"Worse than that," the Major replied. "It is a curse. The first man who landed a slave in America ought to have been hanged."
"And what about the men who freed them?"
"They were American soldiers, sir, as brave a body of men as ever trod the face of the earth. Captain Batts, what are you trying to do there?"
"Thought I'd take a nap," old Gid answered. "You can wake me up when the fight begins—don't want to miss it."
"If you go to sleep I will court-martial you, sir. Superintend the cutting of the loop-holes."
"All right, don't believe I'm very sleepy anyway;" and as he shuffled away the Englishman turned to the Major and asked:
"And is he game, sir?"