uster own down in ole Lou'siana. I 'spec's he war
jes a teenty mite more knowin' dan eben Marse Brack's Bim dawg. He
name war Bijah."

"How did he ever prove his wisdom?" asked Winn, incredulously.

"How him provin' it!" exclaimed the old negro, warming to his subject.
"Why, sah, him provin' it ebbery day ob he life more ways 'n one."

"Well, give us an example, if you can remember one."

"Yes, sah, I kin. An' I tell you-all one ob de berry simples' t'ings
what dat ar Bijah ebber done. He war jest a ornery, stumpy-tail, 'coon
dawg, Bijah war, an' him know he warn't nuffin else. Dat's why he
won't go fer nuffin 'ceptin' 'coons--no rabbits, ner 'possum, ner fox,
ner b'ar, ner nuffin--jes 'coons. But 'coons! Don' talk, gen'l'_men_!
I reckin dat ar Bijah done know ebbery 'coon in twenty mile ob de Moss
Back plantashun. An' he knowed some fer 'coons wha' didn' 'low dey war
'coons no way."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Winn.

"Dat's wha' I comin' to, Marse Winn, but yo' mus'n' hurry de ole man.
One day I takin' de ole kyart inter town wif a load er wood, an' Bijah
he gwine erlong. When we comin' to der place whar de wood kyarts
stops, I onyoked, an' Bijah he lyin', sleepylike, ondur de kyart. I
passin' de time er day 'long some udder cullud fellers, an' tellin'
wha' kind ob a 'coon dawg Bijah war, an' how he ain't know nuffin no
way 'ceptin' 'coons. Suddint I see dat ar dawg kin' er wink he eye,
an' raise up an' sniff de yair, an' den lite out licketty cut down
erlong. Dey ain't nuffin on de road 'ceptin' jes a cullud gal, an' she
a-turnin' inter de sto'.

"Dem fellers laff fit to bus' deirselfs, an' say, 'Hi dar! wha' dat
fine 'coon dawg gwine fer now?'

"I say, 'Him gwine fer a 'coon, gen'l'men, he suttinly am.' Yo' see, I
jes nacherly 'bleeged ter say so. Same time, I kin' er jubious.

"Afo' we comin' ter de sto', I heah ole Bijah gibbin tongue lak mad,
an' I say, 'Him treed um' gen'l'men! him treed um fer sho'. But when
we comin' dar, an' look in der do', I feelin' mighty sick. Dat ar
cullud gill she up in er cheer er-shyin' she umbrel at Bijah, an' him
jes a dancin' 'roun', an' er-yelpin'.

"Well, ef dem fellers ain't laff! Dey jes roll deirselfs in de dus'.

"'Whar yo' 'coon dawg now? Whar yo' 'coon dawg?' dey axin; but I kep'
on sayin' nuffin. I know dat gal, an' when I hit Bijah er clip to stop
he noise, I say, berry polite, 'Mawnin', Lize. Yo' got any 'coon 'bout
yo' pusson?'