“Wash! Make um white!”
“Golly! But I wish I could, sah! I can’t!”
“Make um white!” repeated the other severely.
Joe laughed, and, dipping the hand into the water, scrubbed away at it with the other for some minutes, and then held it up, black as before, saying:
“Dare, sah—you see, I can’t and dat water is jes’ as clean as it was afore; not quite, dough—but dat is only de dirt.”
“More water!” said the chief, looking at the discolored fluid.
“I tell you it’s no use, sah! It won’t come off. I only wish it would.”
Another experiment failing to make the hand any whiter, and leaving the liquid scarcely discolored. Running Water seemed satisfied, and said:
“Good paint! Stick fast. Have you got um?”
Puzzled for a reply, Joe hesitated for a moment, and then, pointing to the sky, said: