men was tryin' fo' to make 'em so when _I_ lef." The old darky laughed.
"Looked like dat dem chaps wat's layin' out dat railroad, dar, ain't
seen a woman's face fo' yeahs an' yeahs, de way dey flocked aroun'. Ev'y
tent in de destruction camp war at deir suhvice in five minutes."

Frank was busy at the fire with frying-pan and bacon. The old negro was
worn out. The young man disregarded his uneasy protests and made him sit
in comfort while he cooked a supper for him.

"So you got lost! Who finally set you straight? I heard you talking,
there, with someone."

"A young pusson, suh," said Neb, with dignity. Lorey had befriended him,
he knew, at last; but he had scared him into panic to begin with. "A
young pusson, suh," he said, "what made me think he was a paintuh, suh,
to staht with. Made me think he was a paintuh, suh, or else de debbil,
wid his howlin'."

Layson laughed long and heartily. "Must have been Joe Lorey," he
surmised. "I heard that cry and thought, myself, it was a panther. He's
the only one on earth, I guess, who can imitate the beasts so well.
Where is he, now?'

"Lawd knows! I see him dar, close by me, den I seed you in de doah, an'
when I looked aroun' ag'in, he had plumb faded clean away!"

"They're wonderful, these mountaineers, with their woods-craft."

"Debbil craf, mo' like," said Neb, a bit resentful, still.