Dinner Gaze rose from his seat and, stooping as if he were trying to catch a rat, walked to the front of the congregation. Pausing a moment, his body began to weave to and fro as if in conformity to the words of Scripture: “All my bones shall praise thee.” Then to the surprise of the congregation, after all this orthodox preparation for starting a tune, Dinner Gaze suddenly walked back to his former place and sat down! In the meantime Vinegar Atts was getting acquainted with the other stranger on the opposite side of the house.
“Yes, suh, my name is Tucky Sugg,” the stranger told him. “I ain’t no reg’lar preacher, but I exhausts a little befo’ de people sometimes.”
“I hopes you’ll take up yo’ stayin’-place wid us,” Vinegar said cordially. “Us needs good mens.”
He turned to motion to Dinner Gaze to start the song, and found that Dinner had gone back to his seat.
“Whut ails you, brudder?” he asked.
“I’s skeart I don’t know enough toons to lead de singin’,” Gaze said with a grin. “I retires.”
Vinegar’s eyes fell upon Ginny Babe Chew.
“H’ist a toon, sister!” he commanded. In a hoarse bellow Ginny Babe began:
“Blow—ye—de—trumpet—blow——”
One line was enough.