"You is de head boss ob de New Worl' Af'ican Colony, an' weahs de
robes," Honey Tone concluded. "You is Temp'rary Soopreem Leadeh ob de
Temple whilst I 'tends to some private business a sho't ways out ob
town. When de Barzil Colony is runnin' you gits de job ob Soopreem
King. All you does now is keep yo' mouth shut an' look soopreem. Dis
steamboatin' you says you is 'gaged in comes in handy. You tells de
membehs at de propeh time dat you is loadin' de boat fo' de Barzil
Colony."
Honey Tone left his convert and prepared the way for the transition
with the assembled audience.
Half way through his discourse he was interrupted by Trombone Pike, who
craved to get his hundred dollars before the flight of Honey Tone's
imagination lifted the soopreem one above paltry things like financial
obligations. Honey Tone paid him with three quick movements--a dig for
the roll, an outstretching of a handful of cash, and the grip of
eternal brotherhood. "'At's dat. Dah you is."
Meanwhile the Wildcat's languid brain had stumbled over an idea as big
as a church. "Ah leads de brethren to de dock--an' gits twenty dollahs
fo' every man!" When Honey Tone returned, the Wildcat eagerly succumbed
to the role imposed on him. "Sho' kin, Honey Tone. Sho' glad to be
Temp'rary Soopreem Leadeh. Ah learns dese brethren de steamboat
bizness. Sho' glad to show 'em all I knows an' git 'em stahted."
"Wait heah till I 'suades 'em to let you handle everything." Honey Tone
left the Wildcat alone for the second time and made a further
announcement to the brethren. "De Wo'shipful Temp'rary Soopreem Leadeh
suggests, wid de high knowledge he has fo' suggestin', dat if he has de
treasury department in his han's de payments on 'vestments will
increase up to fo' to one. Dat alone shows you whut a big man he is.
Nex' week he pays you all yo' 'vestments, intres' at a hund'ed per
cent, a bonus ob de same amount, an' a special dividend equal to one
an' all. Ah hereby 'spectfully resigns de robes ob office, an' names a
'nishiation c'mmittee ob twelve brothehs to 'dorn de new Soopreem
Temp'rary Leadeh wid de raiment of his rank."
Honey Tone returned to the Wildcat. "You's been 'lected unan'mous. De
'nitiation cer'monies is ready. You gits de Gran' Degree right away.
Heah's de treasury. Ain't no bills due--yet. Don't owe nuthin'."
Honey Tone split his roll, being burdened with the rudiments of the
principle of safety first. He shoved the money at the Wildcat and
hurried the candidate to the door before the victim had a chance to
count the cash.
There followed an impromptu initiation ceremony, interrupted but once
by Lily's bleating, after which the Wildcat realized that he was the
head of something that he knew mighty little about. He looked around
for Honey Tone, seeking the moral support that might derive from the
presence of his old friend and enemy.
Honey Tone had explained himself loose from his guards. Honey Tone was
gone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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