Ralestones, why, we got here last night," Val answered.

"Yo'all is Mistuh Ralestone, suh?" He took off his wide-brimmed straw
hat and twisted it in his oversized hands.

"I'm Valerius Ralestone. My brother Rupert is the owner."

"Well, Mistuh Ralestone, suh, I'se yo'all's fahmah from 'cross wata.
Mistuh LeFleah, he says dat yo'all is come to live heah agin. So mah
woman, she says dat Ah should see if yo'all is heah yet and does yo'all
want anythin'. Lucy, she's bin a-livin' heah, dat is, her mammy and
pappy and her pappy's mammy and pappy has bin heah since befo' old Massa
Ralestone done gone 'way. So Lucy, she jest nachely am oneasy 'bout
yo'all not gettin' things comfo'ble."

"That is kind of her," Val answered heartily. "My brother said something
last night about wanting to see you today, so if you'll come up to the
house--"

"I'se Sam, Mistuh Ralestone, suh. Ah done work heah quite a spell now."

"By the way," Val asked as they went up toward the house, "did you see
that boy in the canoe going downstream as you crossed? I found him in
the garden and the only answer he would give to my questions was that he
had as much right there as I had. Who is he?"

The wide smile faded from Sam's face. "Mistuh Ralestone, suh, effen dat
no-'count trash comes 'round heah agin, yo'all bettah jest call de
policemans. Dey's nothin' but poah white trash livin' down in de swamp
places an' dey steals whatevah dey kin lay han' on. Was dis boy big like
yo'all, wi' black hair an' a thin face?"

"Yes."

"Dat's de Jeems boy. He ain't got no mammy nor pappy. He lives jest like
de wil' man wi' a li'l huntin' an' a big lot stealin'. He talk big. Say
he belongs in de big house, not wi' swamp folks. But jest yo'all pay no
'tenshun to him nohow."

"Val! Val Ralestone! Where are you?" Ricky's voice sounded clear through
the morning air.

"Coming!" he shouted back.

"Well, make it snappy!" she shrilled. "The toast has been burnt twice
and--" But what further catastrophe had occurred her brother could not
hear.

"Yo'all wants to git to de back do', Mistuh Ralestone, suh? Dere's a
sho't-cut 'cross dis-a-way." Sam turned into a side path and Val
followed.

Ricky was at the stove gingerly shifting a coffee-pot as her brother
stepped into the kitchen. "Well," she snapped as he entered, "it's about
time you were showing up. I've simply cracked my voice trying to call
you, and Rupert's been talking about having the bayou dragged or
some