What do you think of that for a School Board education? If I couldn't talk better than Evangeline I'd borrow some black-lead and set up as a jack daw.
It seems that the Old Man and Schwartz did not come across any negroes. Probably Dan had frightened them, if Prince John had told his friends what sort of a Rugger tackle Dan could put up. But Minkie is sharp, dreadful sharp. The moment I mentioned Jim's remark to Evangeline, she fastened on to it instantly. Jim was washing the victoria in the coach-house, and she went straight to him.
"When did you last meet Prince John?" she inquired, planting her feet well apart, and holding her hands behind her back. She wore her blue serge that morning, and had a beaver hat set well clear of her forehead. As the weather was cold, though fine, she had tight-fitting brown gaiters over her strong boots, and she looked fit for any game that might present itself.
Jim shuffled from one foot to the other, and scratched the tip of his ear.
"I don't exactly remember, miss," he said.
"Take time, James. There is no hurry. Just think."
"Well, it might ha' bin at the Marquis o' Granby; yesterday after tea."
"He said it was a powerful shame a furriner should come to a British colony an' steal a thing which a lot o' pore blacks thought more of than anybody could imagine."
"And then he paid for another round of beer?"
"And he asked you to search for his black bag, and particularly for a little ivory doll which was inside it?"
"Why, _you_ must ha' bin talkin' to him, too, miss!"
"No, James. I'm just guessing. What did you say to him?"
"I didn't see any harm in tellin' him that there was no sich thing anywheres in our grounds, an' Evangeline is sure it isn't in Mr. Schwartz's bedroom."
"Do you think it quite right, James, to go to the Marquis o' Granby and discuss our affairs with a negro in a public bar?"
"You'll pardon me, miss, but that ain't a fair way of puttin' it. This prince chap an' the rest of us had a rough an' tumble on Christmas Eve, an' I slung him out of the front gate all fair an' square. It was a perfectly nateral thing to meet 'im afterwards an' 'ave a friendly chat over a pint."
"All right. The matter remains between you and me. But I want you to promise that if Prince John, or any other negro, approaches you again, and tries to get information, you will tell me everything at the first opportunity."