"Yes, I know I gave those orders," Tom said, with a smile, "but
I want to make sure that they have been followed."

"Well, I done follered 'em, Massa Tom."

"Then you didn't tell this queer stranger, Frenchman, or
whatever he is, much about my place?"

"I didn't tell him nuffin', sah. I done frowed dust in his
eyes."

Ned uttered an exclamation of surprise.

"Eradicate is speaking figuratively," Tom said, with a laugh.

"Dat's what I means," the colored man went on. "I done fooled
him. When he asted me about de fire I said it didn't do no damage
at all--in fack dat we'd rather hab de fire dan not hab it,
'case it done gib us a chance t' practice our hose drill."

"That's good," laughed Tom. "What else?"

"Well, he done sort ob hinted t' me ef we all knowed how de
fire done start. I says as how we did, dat we done start it
ourse'ves fo' practice, an dat we done expected it all along, an'
were ready fo' it. Course I knows dat were a sort of fairy story,
Massa Tom, but den dat cigarette-smokin' Frenchman didn't hab no
right t' asted me so many questions, did he?"

"No, indeed, Rad. And I'm glad you didn't give him straight