"I must say that I think I should have liked the canal better," remarked John as David paused. "You were, at any rate, more or less free--that is, comparatively, I should say." "Yes, sir, I did," said David, "an' I never see the time, no matter how rough things was, that I wished I was back on Buxton Hill. I used to want to see Polly putty bad once in a while, an' used to figure that if I ever growed up to be a man, an' had money enough, I'd buy her a new pair o' shoes an' the stuff fer a dress, an' sometimes my cal'lations went as fur 's a gold breastpin; but I never wanted to see none o' the rest on 'em, an' fer that matter, I never did. Yes, sir, the old ditch was better to me than the place I was borned in, an', as you say, I wa'n't nobody's slave, an' I wa'n't scairt to death the hull time. Some o' the men was rough, but they wa'n't cruel, as a rule, an' as I growed up a little I was putty well able to look out fer myself--wa'al, wa'al (looking at his watch), I guess you must 'a' had enough o' my meemores fer one sittin'." "No, really," John protested, "don't go yet. I have a little proposal to make to you," and he got up and brought a bottle from the bottom of the washstand. "Wa'al," said David, "fire it out." "That you take another cigar and a little of this," holding up the bottle. "Got any glasses?" asked David with practical mind. "One and a tooth mug," replied John, laughing. "Glass for you, tooth mug for me. Tastes just as good out of a tooth mug." "Wa'al," said David, with a comical air of yielding as he took the glass and held it out to John, "under protest, stric'ly under protest--sooner than have my clo'es torn. I shall tell Polly--if I should happen to mention it--that you threatened me with vi'lence. Wa'al, here's lookin' at ye," which toast was drunk with the solemnity which befitted it. CHAPTER XXVI. The two men sat for a while smoking in silence, John taking an occasional sip of his grog. Mr. Harum had swallowed his own liquor "raw," as was the custom in Homeville and vicinity, following the potation with a mouthful of water. Presently he settled a little farther down in his chair and his face took on a look of amused recollection. He looked up and gave a short laugh. "Speakin' of canals," he said, as if the subject had only been casually mentioned, "I was thinkin' of somethin'." "Yes?" said John.