ou cain't git a secont piece of pie!"

Before the other could catch the tune, the green-baize doors of the
saloon were thrown open and a white man entered. Every negro looked up
into that granite face with its deep-set eyes, iron jaw, and rugged
lines of strength and purpose, and smiled a joyful welcome:

"Mawnin', Marse John. 'Tain't no use to come sheriffin' down dis way. No
niggers ain't done nothin'."

"I am hunting for a Methodist clergyman of color," Flournoy grinned.

"Boss," Vinegar Atts chuckled as he rose to his feet, "I's de blackest
an' best nigger preacher whut is, an' I b'lieves in de Mefdis doctrine
of fallin' from grace an' grease. Ef you misdoubts my words, ax my wife.
Dat ole woman admits dat fack herse'f."

"I want you to perform a wedding ceremony at the Shoofly Church to-night
at seven o'clock," the sheriff announced.

Instantly the Rev. Vinegar Atts thrust both hands into the pockets of
his trousers and brought his hands out, turning out the pockets and
showing them empty.

"Dar now, Figger Bush!" Vinegar bellowed. "I tole you dat de good Lawd
would pervide a way fer me to pay fer dem near-booze grape-juices I been
guzzlin' in yo' sinful saloom! Five dollars will sottle wid you an'
leave a few change over fer seegaws."

"Who's cormittin' mattermony, Marse John?" Mustard Prophet wanted to
know. "Is it one of dese here shotgun weddin's?"

"Plaster Sickety wishes to wed Pearline Flunder."

"I knows 'em," Hitch Diamond rumbled from his big chest. "De good Lawd
will shore got to pervide fer dem coons like He do fer Vinegar
Atts--nary one is got git-up enough to make a livin'."

"Those young colored honey-birds are under my special care and
protection," Flournoy announced, smiling. "I intend to house them and
take care of them and get them work. They are an experiment."

"De trouble wid experiments is dis, Marse John," Mustard chuckled,
"sometimes dey bust in yo' face."

"My plan is this," Flournoy told them. "I am going to tie those two
negroes together with a ten-foot chain and they are to live in peace and
amity for three days."

"Lawdymussy, Marse John!" the Rev. Vinegar Atts bellowed. "Did you ever
tie two cats to each yuther an' hang 'em over de limb of a tree?"

"Yes."

"Does you recommember how quick dem cats got tired of each yuther's
sawsiety an' fell out wid theirselves?"

"Certainly."

Vinegar jerked a yellow bandana handkerchief from the tail of his coat
and mopped the