'Oh! your 'missus' did?'
'No, sar.'
'No, sar!' I repeated; then suspecting the real state of the case, I looked him sternly in the eye, and said: 'My little man, it's wrong to tell lies, you must always speak the truth; now, tell me truly, did not your 'missus' teach you these things?'
'No, sar, I larned 'em myseff.'
'Ye can't cum it, stranger; ye moight roast him over a slow fire, an' not git nary a thing eout on him but thet,' said the corn-cracker, leaning forward, and breaking into a boisterous fit of laughter. 'It's agin th' law, an' I'm d—d ef I teached him. Reckon he did larn himself!'
'I must know your wife, my friend. She's a good woman.'
'Good! ye kin bet high on thet; she's uv th' stuff th' Lord makes angels eout on.'
I had no doubt of it, and was about to say so, when the Colonel's turpentine-wagon drove up, and I remembered I had left him too long alone.
The coachman was driving, and Jim sat on the wagon beside him.
'Massa K—,' said the latter, getting down and coming to me, 'Whar am dey?'