"Now who be you fellers?"

"Born and fetched up in Mobile: my name is Bird Riley; and I reckon
t'other feller is a first cousin of mine, for he's got the same name,
and he's almost as handsome as I am. Where was you born, Sam?"

"About ten miles up the Alabama, where my father was the overseer on a
plantation before the war," replied Graines as promptly as though he had
been telling the truth.

"Then you must be one of my cousins, for I done got about two hundred
and fifty on 'em in the State of Alabammy. Give us your fin, Sam."

Bird Riley and Sam shook hands in due and proper form, and the
relationship appeared to be fully established. The names of the three
other revellers were given, but the spokesman was disposed to do all the
talking, though he occasionally appealed to his companions to approve
of what he said. It was evident that he was the leading spirit of the
party, and that he controlled them. He was rather a bright fellow, while
the others were somewhat heavy and stupid in their understanding. The
bottles were again handed to the guests, both of whom went through the
form of drinking without taking a drop of the vile stuff.

"What be you uns doin' here?" asked Bird Riley, after the ceremony with
the bottle had been finished.

"We was both tooken in a schooner that was gwine to run the blockade,"
answered Christy. "We was comin' out'n Pass Christian, and was picked
up off Chand'leer [Chandeleur] Island, and fotched over hyer. We didn't
feel too much to hum after we lost our wages, and we done took a