"Good heavens, Mr. Slick!" said I in great alarm, "what
are you about?"

"I am goin'," he said with the greatest coolness, but at
the same time with equal sternness, "to bore a hole
through that apple, Sir."

"For shame! Sir," I said. "How can you think of such a
thing? Suppose you were to miss your shot, and kill that
unfortunate boy?"

"I won't suppose no such thing, Sir. I can't miss it.
I couldn't miss it if I was to try. Hold your head steady,
Jube--and if I did, it's no great matter. The onsarcumcised
Amalikite ain't worth over three hundred dollars at the
furthest, that's a fact; and the way he'd pyson a shark
ain't no matter. Are you ready, Jube?"

"Yes, massa."

"You shall do no such thing, Sir," I said, seizing his
arm with both my hands. "If you attempt to shoot at that
apple, I shall hold no further intercourse with you. You
ought to be ashamed of yourself, Sir."

"Ky! massa," said Jube, "let him fire, Sar; he no hurt
Jube; he no foozle de hair. I isn't one mossel afeerd.
He often do it, jist to keep him hand in, Sar. Massa
most a grand shot, Sar. He take off de ear oh de squirrel
so slick, he neber miss it, till he go scratchin' his