ecks me fer ter keep all deze yer
niggers straight deyer gwine ter be diserp'inted,--dat dey is. Ef dey
wuz 'lev'm Remuses 't would n't make no diffunce, let 'long one po' ole
cripple creetur lak me. Dey aint done no damage yit, but I boun' you by
termorrer night dey'll tu'n loose en tu'n de whole place upside down, en
t'ar it up by de roots, en den atter hit 's all done gone en done,
yer'll come Miss Sally a-layin' it all at ole Remus do'. Nigger aint
got much chance in deze yer low-groun's, mo' speshually w'en dey gits
ole en cripple lak I is."

"What are they going to do to-morrow night, Uncle Remus?" the little boy
inquired.

"Now w'at make you ax dat, honey?" exclaimed the old man, in a grieved
tone. "You knows mighty well how dey done las' year en de year 'fo' dat.
Dey tuck'n cut up 'roun' yer wuss'n ef dey 'uz wil' creeturs, en
termorrer night dey'll be a-hollin' en whoopin' en singin' en dancin'
'fo' it git dark good. I wish w'en you go up ter de big house you be so
good ez ter tell Miss Sally dat ef she want any peace er min' she better
git off'n de place en stay off twel atter deze yer niggers git dey fill
er Chris'mus. Goodness knows, she can't 'speck a ole cripple nigger lak
me fer ter ketch holt en keep all deze yer niggers straight."

Uncle Remus would have kept up his vague complaints, but right in the
midst of them Daddy Jack stuck his head in at the door, and said:

"Oona bin fix da' 'Tildy gal shoe. Me come fer git dem shoe; me come fer
pay you fer fix dem shoe."

Uncle Remus looked at the grinning old African in astonishment. Then
suddenly the truth dawned upon him and he broke into a loud laugh.
Finally he said:

"Come in, Brer Jack! Come right 'long in. I'm sorter po'ly myse'f, yit
I'll make out ter make you welcome. Dey wuz a quarter dollar gwine inter
my britches-pocket on de 'count er dem ar shoes, but ef youer gwine ter
pay fer um 't won't be but a sev'mpunce."

Somehow or other Daddy Jack failed to relish Uncle Remus's tone and
manner, and he replied, with some display of irritation:

"Shuh-shuh! Me no come in no'n 't all. Me no pay you se'mpunce. Me come
fer pay you fer dem shoe; me come fer tek um 'way fum dey-dey."

"I dunno 'bout dat, Brer Jack, I dunno 'bout dat. De las' time I year
you en 'Tildy gwine on, she wuz 'pun de p'ints er knockin' yo' brains
out. Now den, s'pozen I whirls in en gins you de shoes, en den 'Tildy
come 'long en ax me 'bout um, w'at I gwine say ter 'Tildy?"