a' done bin
outer sight en yearin'. En so dat de way Brer Rabbit git Mr. Man meat."

The little boy reflected a little, and then said:

"Uncle Remus, was n't that stealing?"

"Well, I tell you 'bout dat, honey," responded the old man, with the air
of one who is willing to compromise. "In dem days de creeturs bleedz ter
look out fer deyse'f, mo' speshually dem w'at aint got hawn en huff.
Brer Rabbit aint got no hawn en huff, en he bleedz ter be he own
lawyer."

Just then the little boy heard his father's buggy rattling down the
avenue, and he ran out into the darkness to meet it. After he was gone,
Uncle Remus sat a long time rubbing his hands and looking serious.
Finally he leaned back in his chair, and exclaimed:

"Dat little chap gittin' too much fer ole Remus--dat he is!"

XXIV

HOW BROTHER RABBIT GOT THE MEAT

When the little boy next visited Uncle Remus the cabin was dark and
empty and the door shut. The old man was gone. He was absent for several
nights, but at last one night the little boy saw a welcome light in the
cabin, and he made haste to pay Uncle Remus a visit. He was full of
questions:

"Goodness, Uncle Remus! Where in the world have you been? I thought you
were gone for good. Mamma said she reckoned the treatment here did n't
suit you, and you had gone off to get some of your town friends to hire
you."

"Is Miss Sally tell you dat, honey? Well, ef she aint de beatenes'
w'ite 'oman dis side er kingdom come, you kin des shoot me. Miss Sally
tuck'n writ me a pass wid her own han's fer ter go see some er my kin
down dar in de Ashbank settlement. Yo' mammy quare 'oman, honey, sho'!

"En yit, w'at de good er my stayin' yer? T'er night, I aint mo'n git
good en started 'fo' you er up en gone, en I aint seed ha'r ner hide un
you sence. W'en I see you do dat, I 'low ter myse'f dat hit 's des 'bout
time fer ole man Remus fer ter pack up he duds en go hunt comp'ny
some'r's else."

"Well, Uncle Remus," exclaimed the little boy, in a tone of
expostulation, "did n't Brother Fox get the meat, and was n't that the
end of the story?"

Uncle Remus started to laugh, but he changed his mind so suddenly that
the little boy was convulsed. The old man groaned and looked at the
rafters with a curious air of disinterestedness. After a while he went
on with great seriousness:

"I dunner w'at kinder idee folks got 'bout Brer Rabbit nohow, dat I
don't. S'pozen you lays de plans so some yuther chap kin git