, paid no attention to them as they entered. Laz
took off his hat and stood near the desk, staring at him. Nearer the
Marshal stood Mose, with his hat on. The Marshal motioned for Mose to
take off his hat and the stammerer made similar motions at the Marshal,
as if answering a flirtation. The Marshal made a sign to Foster, who,
while Mose was looking in another direction, advanced and took off his
hat. Mose wheeled about, snatched his hat, and, recognizing Foster,
shook hands with him. Then he shook hands with the Marshal, turned and
walked over toward the Judge, who was still absorbed in his paper.

"Judge," said the Marshal, "these are the witnesses."

Mose stretched forth his hand, and with a sharp pencil rap upon the
desk, the Judge commanded: "Stand where you are."

[Illustration: "IF YOU AIR THE JEDGE, I AM SORTER DISERP'INTED IN YOU."]

"If you air the Jedge," said Laz, gazing intently, "I am sorter
diserp'inted in you. I thought a United States Jedge must be about eight
feet high."

"Well, never mind what you thought. You are here to tell what you know.
Here, you," he added, speaking to Mose, "what is your name?"

"M--M--M--M--M--M--"

"Well, never mind. Where do you live?"

"Well, if y--y--y--y--you don't know a feller's n--n--n--name it don't
m--m--m--make no d--d--d--diffunce whar he lives, d--d--d--does it?"

Laz struck in. "He won't tell you a lie, Jedge. He won't have time."

Rap, rap, at Laz.

"Never mind, sir. I will attend to you presently. You," he said,
speaking to Mose. "Did you ever see Mr. Starbuck make whiskey?"

"Well, I've seed him m--m--m--m--make l--l--l--lasses."

The Judge grew impatient. "Do you know why you are here?"

"B--b--b--b--because they c--c--c--c--cotch me."

"No nonsense, sir."

"P--p--p--p--pap he 'lows I ain't g--g--g--got no sense of any
s--s--s--sort, much."

The Judge sighed. "When you go into the court-room, do you think you can
understand the nature of an oath?"

"W--w--w--well, I ought to. I've b--b--b--been c--c--cussed enough."

And Laz broke in: "He don't cuss hisse'f, Jedge, but he knows good
cussin' when he hears it."

The Judge turned upon him. "Will you please keep quiet? I am striving to
deal kindly with you, and I hope you will not lose sight of that fact."
He spoke to Mose: "How far do you live from Mr. Starbuck's place?"

"W--w--w--well, you can't tell h--h--how far it is, the r--r--road's so
crooked."

"Captain," said the Judge, "thi