fellow-prisoner. "I can't never pass by Owen Gibbs and Len
Hamner now 'thout they laugh just like idjets and grin just
like pole-cats."

"I ain't never hear tell of a pole-cat grinnin'," corrected
Billy, "he jes' smell worser 'n what a billy goat do."

"It is Chessy cats that grin," explained Lina.

"Look like folks would get 'em a lot of pole-cats stead o'
chillens always hafto be wearing assfetty bags 'round their
nakes, so's they can keep off whopping-cough," said Frances.

"You can't wear a pole-cat roun' yo' nake," grinned Billy.

"And Len Hamner all time now asking me," Jimmy continued,
"when I'm going to wear Sarah Jane's co'set to Sunday-School.
Grown folks 'bout the lunatickest things they is. Ain't you
going to unlock this chain, Billy?" he demanded.

"What I got to unlock it with?" asked Billy.

As Jimmy's father was taking the crestfallen chaingang to the
blacksmith shop to have their fetters removed, they had to
pass by the livery stable; and Sam Lamb, bent double with
intoxicating mirth at their predicament, yelled:

"Lordee! Lordee! Y' all sho' is de outlandishest kids
'twixt de Bad Place an' de moon."