Until nine o'clock that night the Wildcat and Lily lay under cover. Shortly after nine o'clock the Backslid Baptist arrived at the station to board his Pullman, which would be cut into the Panama Limited. He encountered the Wildcat in the latter's retreat. "How come? When Ah seed you dis aftehnoon you an' Lily wuz in de parade-leadin' business, followin' Honey Tone Boone on de mule." "Us changed since den, Backslid. Ol' Honey Tone done unconsecrate hisself f'm de parade-leadin' mule." "Whah at is he now?" "Safe in jail, whah at Cuspido' Lee an' de otheh wild woman kain't claim de remains. Whut time does us leave?" "How come de 'us'?" "I craves to furlough mahself loose f'm Memphis fo' a while. Does ol' Honey Tone git free mebbe he uprises agin' me." "C'm on.... Us is due out at 10:10." Before the Backslid Baptist was into his uniform a boy brought an order slip to him. He read it and handed it to the Wildcat. The Wildcat looked at the paper. "You knows Ah kain't read, Backslid. What 'at paper say?" "Ah switches to a N'O'leans cah--de Mazeppa. Otheh boy's sick." "How come he sick?" "Some boys gits sick so as to miss Ol' Man Trouble. Might have made a cleanin' wid de bones. Might crave to meet up wid some fren's in Memphis. Kain't say how come. Us finishes de boy's run. Come on!" The Backslid Baptist led the way to the platform in the long train shed. "Don't know kin I deadhead 'at goat." "Sho' kin, Baptist. 'At mascot don't take up no room. 'At goat traveled f'm N'Yawk to San F'mcisco in de vegetable bin on a dinin' cah. Lily ain't no rampager." When the Panama Limited roared into the train shed Lily cringed against the Wildcat's legs. "Stan' up theh! How come you scared at de ol' train?" Followed by the Wildcat and Lily, the Backslid Baptist sought his car. "Whah at's de Mazeppa?" he asked the first porter whom he encountered. "Hello, Backslid. Is you runnin' Mazeppa?" "Aims to." "Menagerie cah." "How come?" "Dogdest cahload ob folks Ah evah see. Wait till mawnin' an' you sees yo' passengers. 'At's de ol' battleship, five cahs back." The Wildcat and Lily, in the wake of the Backslid Baptist, presently boarded the Mazeppa. Once inside the car, the porter sniffed heavily. "Gin trip. Thank de Lawd ain't no kids. Don't smell no bananas. Lis'sen. Heah dat boy snore?" "Snores lak he's chokin' to death." "Ain't chokin'. 'At's a fat boy wid de alcohol snorts." The Backslid Baptist sniffed again. "Sho' is." "Is what?" "Chorus girl lady, o' mebbe one ob dem movin' picture ladies." "Ah'll say you does." "Does what?" "Sees an' heahs wid yo' nose. Did anybody bust you in de beak dey'd knock you deaf an' blind." "Wilecat, Ah run Pullman ten yeahs--boy sho' gits deprived ob a lot ob ignorance in dat time. Sho' gits so he knows de folks on his cah quick. Gits to be a reg'lah mind readeh." The Wildcat looked at the Backslid Baptist. "Whut dat fat boy wid de alcohol snorts thinkin' about?"