de bank watchin' 'im. He sot dar, he did, en play in de
water, en cut switches fer ter w'ip at de snake-doctors,[86] en all dat
time Brer Fox, he pull en haul en tote rocks fer ter hol' dat trap
endurin' a freshet.

"Brer Fox went home en res' hisse'f, en bimeby he go down fer ter see ef
dey any fish in he trap. He sorter fear'd er snakes, but he feel 'roun'
en he feel 'roun', yit he ain't feel no fish. Den he go off.

"Bimeby, 'long todes de las' er de week, he go down en feel 'roun'
'g'in, yit he ain't feel no fish. Hit keep on dis a-way twel Brer Fox
git sorter fag out. He go en he feel, but dey ain't no fish dar. Atter
w'ile, one day, he see de signs whar somebody bin robbin' he trap, en he
'low ter hisse'f dat he'll des in 'bout watch en fine out who de
somebody is.

"Den he tuck'n got in he boat en paddle und' de bushes on de bank en
watch he fish-trap. He watch all de mornin'; nobody ain't come. He watch
all endurin' er atter dinner; nobody ain't come. 'Long todes night, w'en
he des 'bout makin' ready fer ter paddle off home, he year fuss on t'er
side de river, en lo en beholes, yer come Brer Rabbit polin' a boat
right todes Brer Fox fish-trap.

"Look lak he dunner how to use a paddle, en he des had 'im a long pole,
en he'd stan' up in de behime part er he boat, en put de een' er de pole
'gin' de bottom, en shove 'er right ahead.

"Brer Fox git mighty mad w'en he see dis, but he watch en wait. He 'low
ter hisse'f, he did, dat he kin paddle a boat pearter dan anybody kin
pole um, en he say he sho'ly gwine ketch Brer Rabbit dis time.

"Brer Rabbit pole up ter de fish-trap, en feel 'roun' en pull out a
great big mud-cat; den he retch in en pull out 'n'er big mud-cat; den he
pull out a big blue cat, en it keep on dis a-way twel he git de finest
mess er fish you mos' ever laid yo' eyes on.

"Des 'bout dat time, Brer Fox paddle out fum und' de bushes, en make
todes Brer Rabbit, en he holler out:--

"'Ah-yi! Youer de man w'at bin robbin' my fish-trap dis long time! I got
you dis time! Oh, you nee'nter try ter run! I got you dis time sho'!'

"No sooner said dan no sooner done. Brer Rabbit fling he fish in he boat
en grab up de pole en push off, en he had mo' fun gittin' 'way fum dar
dan he y-ever had befo' in all he born days put terge'er."

"Why did n't Brother Fox catch him, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.

"_Shoo!_ Honey, you sho'ly done lose yo' min' 'bout Brer Rabbit."

"Well, I don't see how he cou