"Well, that's mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?" And turns to me, perfectly ca'm, and says, "Did YOU hear anybody sing out?"

      Of course there warn't nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says:

     "No; I ain't heard nobody say nothing."

     Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says:

     "Did you sing out?"

     "No, sah," says Jim; "I hain't said nothing, sah."

     "Not a word?"

     "No, sah, I hain't said a word."

     "Did you ever see us before?"

     "No, sah; not as I knows on."

     So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe:

     "What do you reckon's the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?"