Others beside the old men were aweary after the ball. Miss Ann spent a
sleepless night and could not drag herself from her bed in time for
breakfast. When old Billy came to her room with a can of hot water for
her morning ablutions, he found his mistress limp and forlorn.

"Jes' you lay still, my pretty, an' ol' Billy will bring you up some
breakfus'. You had so many beaux las' night, hoverin' roun' you like
bees 'roun' a honey pot, no wonder you air tuckered out this mornin'.
I reckon you couldn't sleep with yo' haid so full er music an'
carryin's on."

"I didn't sleep very well, Billy, because I am worrying. I am thinking
perhaps we had better move on."

"Don't say it, Miss Ann, don't say it! Buck Hill air sho' the gyardin
spot er all our visitations. What put you in min' er movin' on?"

"I overheard, without meaning to in the least, but they spoke quite
loudly--I overheard Cousin Milly talking on the subject with some of
the others at the ball and I am afraid we are not welcome here."

"Why, Miss Ann, 'twas only yistiddy that young Marse Jeff Bucknor up
an' made me a solemn promise that you wouldn't never want fer nothin'
so long as he mought live an' be able ter do fer you."

"That's very sweet of him, Billy, but this isn't his home alone. His
mother is the mistress here. I think we might go visit Mr. Big Josh
Bucknor for a while. He was very cordial and even said he would come
for me in a flying machine because of the bad road leading into his
place. What do you think of that, Billy? He said you could follow
after with the carriage and horses."

"Well, Miss Ann, I think Marse Big Josh air as good as gol' an' as
kind as custard, but I can't help a feelin' that he don't mean
ev'y-thing he says. Not that he ain't a thinkin' at the time that he
will do what he promises, but ev'ybody knows you have ter take what
Marse Big Josh says with a dose of salts. I don't mean he wouldn't be
proud an' glad ter have us-alls come an' visit him, but I mean he
ain't liable ter be a flyin' any time soon er late in this here world
er yet the world ter come. He ain't ter say sanctified."

"Well, we'll stay on here a while longer then, Billy, but far be it
from me to have it said we had worn out our welcome."

"Now, Miss Ann, that there ain't possible here at Buck Hill. The house
pawty air a breakin' up this day an' mo'n likely the gues' chamber
will be returned to its rightful habitant. You mus' a hearn wrong
'bout Miss Mil