"Did you find any more victims of the wreck?" asked the old man.
"No, sah; Mr. Perfessor Amos Henderson, I did not," answered Washington.
"Just plain Professor will do," said Amos Henderson, quietly. "You needn't give my full name every time."
"All right, Perfessor," went on the colored man. "I didn't find no mo' pussons entangled in the distribution of debris. Dere was a lot ob railroad men dere, but dey wasn't hurted. Dey was lookin' fer two boys what was ridin' on de train when it went kersmash."
"I hope you didn't say anything about these lads, Washington."
"Not one single disjointed word, Perfessor. Dis chile knows when to persecute de essence ob quietude an' silence."
"There you go again! How many times have I told you not to try and use big words, Washington? Use simple language. I take it you mean there were no others injured in the wreck?"
"Perzackly."
"It is a miracle how these boys escaped instant death," the old man went on.
"I reckon as how it were owin' to de fack dat dey struck in a bank ob soft sand dat concussioned de fall," explained Washington.