n tuck 'n'er good look at de tracks, en den him en Brer
Rabbit put out fer ter foller um up. Dey went up de road, en down de
lane, en 'cross de turnip patch, en down a dreen,[58] en up a big gully.
Brer Rabbit, he done de trackin', en eve'y time he fine one, he up'n
holler:--

"'Yer 'n'er track, en no claw dar! Yer 'n'er track, en no claw dar!'

"Dey kep' on en kep' on, twel bimeby dey run up wid de creetur. Brer
Rabbit, he holler out mighty biggity:--

"'Heyo dar! W'at you doin'?'

"De creetur look 'roun', but he ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer Rabbit
'low:--

"'Oh, you nee'nter look so sullen! We ull make you talk 'fo' we er done
'long wid you! Come, now! W'at you doin' out dar?'

"De creetur rub hisse'f 'gin' a tree des lak you see deze yer house cats
rub 'gin' a cheer, but he ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer Rabbit holler:--

"'W'at you come pesterin' 'long wid us fer, w'en we ain't bin
a-pesterin' you? You got de consate dat I dunner who you is, but I does.
Youer de same ole Cousin Wildcat w'at my gran'daddy use ter kick en cuff
w'en you 'fuse ter 'spon'. I let you know I got a better man yer dan
w'at my gran'daddy ever is bin, en I boun' you he ull make you talk. Dat
w'at I boun' you.'

"De creetur lean mo' harder 'gin' de tree, en sorter ruffle up he
bristle, but he ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer Rabbit, he 'low:--

"'Go up dar, Brer Fox, en ef he 'fuse ter 'spon' slap 'im down! Dat de
way my gran'daddy done. You go up dar, Brer Fox, en ef he dast ter try
ter run, I'll des whirl in en ketch 'im.'

"Brer Fox, he sorter jub'ous, but he start todes de creetur. Ole Cousin
Wildcat walk all 'roun' de tree, rubbin' hisse'f, but he ain't sayin'
nothin'. Brer Rabbit, he holler:--

"'Des walk right up en slap 'im down, Brer Fox--de owdashus vilyun! Des
hit 'im a surbinder, en ef he dast ter run, I boun' you I'll ketch 'im.'

"Brer Fox, he went up little nigher. Cousin Wildcat stop rubbin' on de
tree, en sot up on he behime legs wid he front paws in de a'r, en he
balance hisse'f by leanin' 'gin' de tree, but he ain't sayin' nothin'.
Brer Rabbit, he squall out, he did:--

"'Oh, you nee'nter put up yo' han's en try ter beg off. Dat de way you
fool my ole gran'daddy; but you can't fool we-all. All yo' settin' up en
beggin' ain't gwine ter he'p you. Ef youer so humble ez all dat, w'at
make you come pesterin' longer we-all? Hit 'im a clip, Brer Fox! Ef he
run, I'll ketch 'im!'

"Brer Fox see de creetur look so mighty humble, s