m's display of learning, who
rose considerably higher also in Basset's estimation. After somewhat
recovering from his astonishment, and as if he had been reflecting on
the subject, the General said--

"Larning is a great ting, and perhaps you is right and perhaps you
isn't, but I hear anoder way to 'count for it."

"Out with it then," cried Tom.

"White folks," said Primus, "hab one way to 'count for tings, and
colored pussons hab anoder way. Now I hear a colored pussun, who come
all de way from Africa, where dey onderstands dese tings, say it was
de jumbee."

"The jumbee! What in natur's that!" inquired Basset, who had not
before mingled in the conversation.

"Now, none of your tricks, Prime," cried Tom, suspecting the negro
of an intention to mystify them with a jargon like that he had palmed
off; "jumbee ain't Latin."

"Nobody say it was," returned Primus, "I guess de old fellow nebber
hab much chance to study Latin. He better 'quainted wid de shovel and
de hoe. Dat mean in de Congo language, sperit."

"Colored people are curus folks," ejaculated Basset

"I don't see fairly what you're driving at yet," said Gladding.
"Suppose jumbee does mean sperit, what then?"

"I mean dat de hand turn into a sperit. Don't you see, Missa Basset,"
exclaimed Primus, suddenly poking his wooden leg at the constable, "de
sperit ob my leg?"

"Don't, don't, Prime," cried the startled constable, drawing back
and nearly falling in his fright into the water. "What's the use of
talking about sperits now? Come let us talk about something else."

"Well," grinned Primus, "if you don't see de sperit, I feel him."

"Don't talk so; you're spoiling all the pleasure of the sail by such
kind o' nonsense," urged Basset.

"Don't you believe in sperits?" inquired the persevering General.

"I tell ye I don't like to talk about such things now," responded
Basset.

"Why I can give you chapter and varse for 'em," said Tom. "You
remember, Basset, all about Samuel and the witch o' Endor, and that's
authority, I guess."

"Well, if I do I don't care to be chattering all the time about 'em,
though there's some says, they don't appear now as they used to in old
times."

This was an unfortunate remark for the badgered Basset. His two
friends, as if it were of the extremest consequence to convert him
from an opinion so heretical, opened for his benefit a whole budget of
ghost stories In spite of most unwilling ears he was obliged to listen
wi