nigger accounted to the magistrate for his appearance in the Deacon's
poultry-yard.

"Well?"

"Yes, sar, what the constable sez is quite true, sar; I was dar, sar."

"Oh, so you admit it? And what were you doing with a sack, pray, in
Deacon Abraham's poultry-yard at twelve o'clock at night?"

"I'se gwine ter tell yer, sar; yes, sar. I'd been to Massa Jordan's wid
a sack of melons. Yes, sar; an' Massa Jordan he wuz very 'greeable, an'
axed me for ter come in."

"Yes, sar, very 'greeable man is Massa Jordan. An' dar we sat a talking
an' a talking--"

"Very likely. What we want to know is what you were doing in the
Deacon's poultry-yard?"

"Yes, sar, dat's what I'se cumming to. It wuz ver' late 'fore I left
Massa Jordan's, an' den I sez ter mysel', sez I, now yer jest step out
with yer best leg foremost, Ulysses, case yer gets into trouble wid de
ole woman. Ver' talkative woman she is, sar, very--"

"Yes, never mind her; there are other people very talkative in this town
besides your wife. Deacon Abraham's house is half a mile out of your way
home from Mr. Jordan's. How did you get there?"

"Dat's what I'm a-gwine ter explain, sar."