t'us
perlite dis time.

"Den some un on t'er side er de do' ax Mr. Benjermun Ram fer ter walk
right in, en wid dat he open de do' en walk in, en make a bow like
fiddlin' folks does w'en dey goes in comp'ny; but he aint no sooner
make he bow en look 'roun' twel he 'gun ter shake en shiver lak he done
bin strucken wid de swamp-ager, kaze, settin' right dar 'fo' de fier wuz
ole Brer Wolf, wid his toofies showin' up all w'ite en shiny like dey
wuz bran new. Ef ole Mr. Benjermun Ram aint bin so ole en stiff I boun'
you he'd er broke en run, but 'mos' 'fo' he had time fer ter study 'bout
gittin' 'way, ole Brer Wolf done bin jump up en shet de do' en fassen
'er wid a great big chain. Ole Mr. Benjermun Ram he know he in fer't, en
he tuck'n put on a bol' face ez he kin, but he des nat'ally hone[12] fer
ter be los' in de woods some mo'. Den he make n'er low bow, en he hope
Brer Wolf and all his folks is well, en den he say, sezee, dat he des
drap in fer ter wom hisse'f, en 'quire uv de way ter Miss Meadows', en
ef Brer Wolf be so good ez ter set 'im in de road ag'in, he be off putty
soon en be much 'blige in de bargains.

"'Tooby sho', Mr. Ram,' sez Brer Wolf, sezee, w'iles he lick he chops en
grin; 'des put yo' walkin'-cane in de cornder over dar, en set yo' bag
down on de flo', en make yo'se'f at home,' sezee. 'We aint got much,'
sezee, 'but w'at we is got is yone w'iles you stays, en I boun' we'll
take good keer un you,' sezee; en wid dat Brer Wolf laugh en show his
toofies so bad dat ole man Benjermun Ram come mighty nigh havin' 'n'er
ager.

"Den Brer Wolf tuck'n flung 'n'er lighter'd-knot on de fier, en den he
slip inter de back room, en present'y, w'iles ole Mr. Benjermun Ram wuz
settin' dar shakin' in he shoes, he year Brer Wolf whispun' ter he ole
'oman:

"'Ole 'oman! ole 'oman! Fling 'way yo' smoke meat--fresh meat fer
supper! Fling 'way yo' smoke meat--fresh meat fer supper!'

"Den ole Miss Wolf, she talk out loud, so Mr. Benjermun Ram kin year:

"'Tooby sho' I'll fix 'im some supper. We er 'way off yer in de woods,
so fur fum comp'ny dat goodness knows I'm mighty glad ter see Mr.
Benjermun Ram.'

"Den Mr. Benjermun Ram year ole Miss Wolf whettin' 'er knife on a
rock--_shirrah! shirrah! shirrah!_--en ev'y time he year de knife say
_shirrah!_ he know he dat much nigher de dinner-pot. He know he can't
git 'way, en w'iles he settin' dar studyin', hit come 'cross he min' dat
he des mought ez well play one mo' chune