There was no special ingenuity displayed in beating the railroad, as long as my baggage had been forwarded by express, and I was not fastidious about my surroundings. Of course, there was a strong probability of being “ditched” before reaching destination, but that was part of the game. Occasionally I borrowed a box-car or rode the “blind baggage.” In moments of dark adversity, I was ready to try a brake beam or find a hiding place in the back part of the tender. I have ridden on top of a passenger coach, in the manger of a palace horse car, and even taken a flyer on the pilot of an express train. Once, when I was hard up and it was of vital importance for me to reach a town where a prepaid package of goods was awaiting me, I boldly went into a smoking car where there were four men sitting in seats facing each other. They had been traveling for some time and were going a long distance. The conductor had stuck his checks in the bands of their hats, and was not likely to pay them more than passing attention. As I entered, one of them got up and went out. I immediately dropped into his seat, and, taking off my hat, was busily engaged reading a newspaper when the conductor came around. Nine times out of ten this risky plan would have been a failure, but my lucky star happened to be in the ascendant, the conductor mistook me for the other fellow and passed me by. Before he noticed it I had reached my destination. I tried no such scheme as this at Marshall, however. I simply went out on the blind baggage. There may, indeed, have been a door in the front end—in those days there generally was—but, if so, it made no difference. I sat on the steps of the first platform and evaded the lynx-eyed glances of the captain. Just how I got to Mobile I’ll never tell you, but get there I did, and it took me several weeks to do so. At that moment I was almost ready to forswear my occupation and settle down into the permanent and legitimate; but, alas, no opening presented itself, and I was forced to fall back on my wits. Luck had for some time been dead against me, and several promising schemes failed to work. I suppose I did not put soul enough into them. I had been living on free lunches longer than I cared to remember, and was growing desperate. There was certainly game afoot somewhere, if I could only find it, and I strolled down, at last, to a part of the city where the colored population was largely concentrated. There I caught sight of an immense colored woman, and at once evolved a scheme. I went over, did some lively talking, and in the end struck up a bargain. There were a few dimes yet in my pocket, which I spent for muslin and the hire of a hack to bring her up in triumph to an empty store-room which I had hired without permission. I have already alluded to my knack of sign making and lettering. For a few pennies I procured the loan of a paint pot, and fell to work on a gigantic banner for a place on the outer wall. It ran like this: