"My name Gus, sah."

"That's only HALF a name. Your whole name is really Augustus remember."
The "Massa Captain's" voice boomed with the sound of the sea. Augustus
and his brothers were duly impressed. If Gus really meant Augustus, why
Augustus he would be henceforth. The Massa Captain had said it and what
the Massa Captain said--went, especially when he gave a bright new dime
to enforce the order.

"And YOUR name?" continued the questioner, pointing at number two.

"I'se jist Jule, sah," was the shy reply.

"That's a nickname too. I can't have such slipshod, no-account names for
my hands' children. It isn't dignified. It isn't respectful. It's a
disgrace to Miss Peggy. Do you hear?"

"Yas--yas--sir. We--we hears," answered the little darkies in chorus,
the whites of their eyes rolling and their knees fairly smiting
together. How could they have been guilty of thus slighting their adored
young mistress?

"Please, sah, wha's his name ef taint Jule?" Augustus plucked up heart
of grace to ask.

"He is Julius, JUL-I-US, do you understand?"

"Yas--sir. Yas--sir." Another dime helped the memory box.