r Rabbit, he lissen en lissen. Bimeby, w'iles
all dis was gwine on, down come de tree--_kubber-lang-bang-blam!_ Brer
Rabbit, he tuck'n jump des lak you jump, en let 'lone dat, he make a
break, he did, en he lipt out fum dar lak de dogs wuz atter 'im."

"Was he scared, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.

"Skeerd! Who? _Him?_ Shoo! don't you fret yo'se'f 'bout Brer Rabbit,
honey. In dem days dey wa'n't nothin' gwine dat kin skeer Brer Rabbit.
Tooby sho', he tuck keer hisse'f, en ef you know de man w'at 'fuse ter
take keer hisse'f, I lak mighty well ef you p'int 'im out. Deed'n dat I
would!"

Uncle Remus seemed to boil over with argumentative indignation.

"Well, den," he continued, "Brer Rabbit run twel he git sorter het up
like, en des 'bout de time he makin' ready fer ter squot en ketch he
win', who should he meet but Brer Coon gwine home atter settin' up wid
ole Brer Bull-Frog. Brer Coon see 'im runnin', en he hail 'im.

"'W'at yo' hurry, Brer Rabbit?'

"'Aint got time ter tarry.'

"'Folks sick?'

"'No, my Lord! Aint got time ter tarry!'

"'Tryin' yo' soopleness?'

"'No, my Lord! Aint got time ter tarry!'

"'Do pray, Brer Rabbit, tell me de news!'

"'Mighty big fuss back dar in de woods. Aint got time ter tarry!'

"Dis make Brer Coon feel mighty skittish, 'kaze he fur ways fum home, en
he des lipt out, he did, en went a-b'ilin' thoo de woods. Brer Coon
aint gone fur twel he meet Brer Fox.

"'Hey, Brer Coon, whar you gwine?'

"'Aint got time ter tarry!'

"'Gwine at'-de doctor?'

"'No, my Lord! Aint got time ter tarry.'

"'Do pray, Brer Coon, tell me de news.'

"'Mighty quare racket back dar in de woods! Aint got time ter tarry!'

[Illustration: BROTHER RABBIT TAKES SOME EXERCISE]

"Wid dat, Brer Fox lipt out, he did, en fa'rly split de win'. He aint
gone fur twel he meet Brer Wolf.

"'Hey, Brer Fox! Stop en res' yo'se'f!'

"'Aint got time ter tarry!'

"'Who bin want de doctor?'

"'No'ne, my Lord! Aint got time ter tarry!'

"'Do pray, Brer Fox, good er bad, tell me de news.'

"'Mighty kuse fuss back dar in de woods! Aint got time ter tarry!'

"Wid dat, Brer Wolf shuck hisse'f loose fum de face er de yeth, en he
aint git fur twel he meet Brer B'ar. Brer B'ar he ax, en Brer Wolf
make ans'er, en bimeby Brer B'ar he fotch a snort en run'd off; en,
bless gracious! 't wa'n't long 'fo' de las' one er de creeturs wuz
a-skaddlin' thoo de woods lak de Ole Boy was atter um--en all 'kaze Brer