ter, and that he wanted to resume work on a new type of gun."
"I guess he's afraid you'll beat him out, Tom," laughed Ned. "You take my advice, and look out for General Waller."
"Nonsense! I say, Rad! Look out with those primers!"
"I'se lookin' out, Massa Tom. Golly, I don't laik dis yeah job at all! I—I guess I'd better be gittin' at dat whitewashing Massa Tom. Dat back fence suah needs a coat mighty bad."
"Never you mind about the whitewashing, Rad. You just stick around here for a while. I may need you to sit on the cannon to hold it down."
"Sit on a cannon, Massa Tom! Say, looky heah now! You jest take dese primary things from dish yeah coon. I—I'se got t' go!"
"Why, what's the matter, Rad? Surely you're not afraid; are you?" and Tom winked at Ned.
"No, Massa Tom, I'se not prezactly 'skeered, but I done jest 'membered dat I didn't gib mah mule Boomerang any oats t'-day, an' he's suahly gwine t' be desprit mad at me fo' forgettin' dat. I—I'd better go!"
"Nonsense, Rad! I was only fooling. You can go as soon as we get to my private proving grounds, if you like. But you'll have to carry
