His position was within a foot or two of the closed door, and I ventured to work my passage along the front of the cabin, hoping to attract his attention.
Perhaps he was lonely, for he finally observed me in my humble capacity, and broke the silence with a question.
"Hav' yer ever bin up this way afore ?" I paused in my work, and straightened up stiffly.
"Onct," making the fault in pronunciation prominent.
"Wal', how fur is it then, ter thet damn Yellow Banks ?" "I dunno 'sackly in miles," I acknowledged doubtfully.

"Everything looks just 'bout alike 'long yere," and I took a squint at the bank, as though endeavoring a guess.

"I reckon maybe it'll be 'bout twenty-four hours' steamin' yet--morn'n thet, likely, if we got ter tie up much 'long shore.

Are yer goin' fer ter jine the army ?" "Whut, me jine the army ?" he laughed as though at a good joke.

"Hell, no; I'm a sorter sheriff down Saint Louee way, an' all I want fer ter do now is just git back thar as fast as God Almighty'll let me." "I see, yer a headin' in the wrong direction.