ll park an' pas' de gran'stan'."

In the face of the assemblage Honey Tone could not back down. He
mounted the mule. To his surprise the animal walked slowly and with all
the peculiar dignity that a mule can summon. The uplifter looked down
at the Wildcat. "Line 'em up fo' de gran' entry," he said.

The Wildcat turned and called loudly to the marching column. "Company,
'tenshun! Heads up fo' de gran' entry." He turned to his companion.
"Keep de drum goin'. Ah waits to see de parade git by an' is eve'ything
arranged right." The Wildcat faded out. When the end of the marching
column passed him he walked quickly to a policeman who was standing
near the portals of the entrance to the ball park.

"Cap'n, suh," he said to the policeman, "'at mule leadin' de parade
b'longs to Misteh Joe Carroll, whut's de neighbour ob Cap'n Jack
Stuart, whah at I wucks. Ah ain't sayin' 'at ridin' niggah stole 'at
mule, but Ah knows Misteh Carroll neveh lent him. 'At niggah's no good.
Ah knows him."

"What outfit is this parade?" the officer asked.

"Ain't no outfit. 'At triflin' niggah on de mule claims he's organizin'
a new lodge--gits folks wild to jine, and den lif's de 'nitiation
money. Nex' day mebbe turns up in Vicksburg o' some place else whah
some mo' fool niggahs craves to jine on wid him. He sho' don' b'long
here. Ah knows him!"

A record is a record. An arrestis an arrest, and the capture of a mule
thief is a star of magnitude in any one's official crown. The policeman
walked into the ball park and headed across to where a companion
officer was standing in front of the grandstand. At the moment, in the
grandstand Cuspidora Lee and Captain Jack's cook, seated together, were
just beginning to get acquainted. "Seems like I knows dat boy," the
cook remarked. "'At boy on de big mule."

"I knows him too." The tenor of pride rang in Cuspidora's
pronouncement. "Ah knows him well. He's de Supreem Parade Organizeh.
'At man's rich--on'y las' night at de weegee 'semblage in mah house he
showed me nearly six hunn'ed dollahs. When de social visitin' part
starts afteh de parade I gives yo' a howdy-do, does yo' crave to meet
up wid him; but don' git triflin' wid him, woman. 'At's all. He's mah
man."

"How come?"

Cuspidora brindled engagingly.

"Us aims to git married soon as de local organizin' is finished."

"Ain't it gran'? Whut yo' say his name is?"

Honey Tone and his trailing parade were plodding along toward Cuspidora
Lee and