The feller
that runs this shebang ain't made nothin' offen me, I kin tell you. It's
the first square meal I've had for a week, and I've et until there ain't
a crack left inside o' me that a skeeter could git his bill in. I laid
out to git the wuth o' my money, and I done it. What're you doin' down
here in this hole? Ain't Injianny good enough for you?"

"Injianny's good enough on general principles, but just now there's too
much Abolition malaria there for me. The Lincoln satraps 've got the
swing on me, and I thought I'd take a change of air. I've come down here
to see if there weren't some chances to make a good turn, and I've
done very well so far. I've done a little in cattle and got some cotton
through the lines--enough at least to pay my board and railroad fare.
But I think the biggest thing is in recruits, and I've got a scheme
which I may let you into. You know there are a lot of agents down here
from the New England States trying to git niggers to fill up their
quotas, and they are paying big money for recruits. Can't you go out and
gether up a lot o' niggers that we kin sell 'em?"

"Sure," said Groundhog confidently. "Kin git all you want, if you'll pay
for 'em. But what's this gang you've got with you?"

"O, they're a batch for that blasted Abolition outfit, the 200th
Injianny. Them two ornery galoots, Si and Shorty, whose necks I ought've
broke when I was with the regiment, have brung 'em down. They're not
goin' to git to the 200th Injianny if I kin help it, though. First
place, it'll give old McBiddle, that Abolition varmint, enough to git
him mustered as Colonel. He helped oust me, and I have it in for him.
He was recommended for promotion for gittin' his arm shot off at
Chickamauga. Wisht it'd bin his cussed head."

"But what're you goin' to do with the gang?" Groundhog inquired.

"O, there are two or three men around here that I kin sell 'em to for
big money. I ought to make a clean thousand off 'em if I make a cent."

"How much'll I git out o' that?" inquired Groundhog anxiously.

"Well, you ain't entitled to nothin' by rights. I've hived this crowd
all by myself, and kin work 'em all right. But if you'll come along and
make any affidavits that we may need, I'll give you a sawbuck. But on
the nigger lay I'll stand in even with you, half and half. You run 'em
in and I'll place 'em and we'll whack up."

"'Tain't enough," answered Groundhog angrily. "Look here, Jeff Billings,
I know you of old. Yo