frazzlin' er
dish yer piece er timber."

Uncle Remus's movements and remarks had a wonderful effect on 'Tildy.
Her anger disappeared, her eyes lost their malignant expression, and her
voice fell to a conversational tone.

"Now, Unk' Remus, you ought n't ter do me dat a-way, 'kaze I ain't done
nothin' ter you. I 'uz settin' up yon' in Aunt Tempy house, des now,
runnin' on wid Riah, en yer come dat ole Affikin Jack en say you say he
kin marry me ef he ketch me, en he try ter put he arm 'roun' me en kiss
me."

'Tildy tossed her head and puckered her mouth at the bare remembrance of
it.

"W'at wud did you gin Brer Jack?" inquired Uncle Remus, not without
asperity.

"W'at I gwine tell him?" exclaimed 'Tildy disdainfully. "I des tuck'n up
en tole 'im he foolin' wid de wrong nigger."

'Tildy would have continued her narration, but just at that moment the
shuffling of feet was heard outside, and Daddy Jack came in, puffing and
blowing and smiling. Evidently he had been hunting for 'Tildy in every
house in the negro quarter.

"Hi!" he exclaimed, "lil gal, 'e bin skeet sem lak ma'sh hen. 'E no run
no mo'."

"Pick 'er up, Brer Jack," exclaimed Uncle Remus; "she's yone."

'Tildy was angry as well as frightened. She would have fled, but Daddy
Jack stood near the door.

"Look yer, nigger man!" she exclaimed, "ef you come slobbun 'roun' me,
I'll take one er deze yer dog-iuens en brain you wid it. I ain't gwine
ter have no web-foot nigger follerin' atter me. Now you des come!--I
ain't feard er yo' cunjun. Unk' Remus, ef you got any intruss in dat ole
Affikin ape, you better make 'im lemme 'lone. G'way fum yer now!"

All this time Daddy Jack was slowly approaching 'Tildy, bowing and
smiling, and looking quite dandified, as Uncle Remus afterward said.
Just as the old African was about to lay hands upon 'Tildy, she made a
rush for the door. The movement was so unexpected that Daddy Jack was
upset. He fell upon Uncle Remus's shoe-bench, and then rolled off on the
floor, where he lay clutching at the air, and talking so rapidly that
nobody could understand a word he said. Uncle Remus lifted him to his
feet, with much dignity, and it soon became apparent that he was neither
hurt nor angry. The little boy laughed immoderately, and he was still
laughing when 'Tildy put her head in the door and exclaimed:--

"Unk' Remus, I ain't kilt dat ole nigger, is I? 'Kaze ef I got ter go
ter de gallus, I want to go dar fer sump'n' n'er bi