"How do you feel this morning, my friend?" continued the engineer; and
Christy thought he was making himself very familiar with the boozing
seaman, who was at least fifty years old.
"Fine's a fiddle-string," replied Bokes. "We done got out all right,
I reckon;" and it was plain that he had not taken notice that the
schooner was no longer in tow of the steamer.
"All right," replied Graines, as he placed himself on a stool, and
pushed another towards the sailor, who seated himself. "By the way,
friend Bokes, I suppose you have been on board of the Tallahatchie?"
"More'n a dozen times, here 'n' up in Mobile. My fust cousin's an 'iler
aboard on her," replied Bokes.
"How many guns does she carry?" asked the engineer in a very quiet tone,
though the man did not seem to be at all suspicious that he was in the
act of being used for a purpose.
"I don't jest know how many guns she kerries; but she's got a big
A'mstrong barker 'midships that'll knock any Yankee ship inter the
middle o' next year 'n less time 'n it'll take you to swaller a tot
o' Kaintuck whiskey. It's good for five-mile shots."
"This is her midship gun, you say?"
"Midship gun, sir; 'n I heard 'em say it flung a shot nigh on to a
hundred pounds," added Bokes.
Both Christy and Graines asked the man other questions; but he had not
made good use of his opportunities, and knew very little about the
armament of the Tallahatchie; yet he remembered what he had heard others
say about her principal gun.
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