“Where are the niggers who raised the alarm?” a voice asked.
“I guess they hit the grit,” Flournoy smiled. “I can’t imagine Hopey and Dazzle staying to see what a burglar wanted, or returning to see what he got.”
“Here’s one nigger has showed up!” a voice responded.
“White folks!” Vinegar Atts bawled as he was pushed into the light through a crowd of men. “Whut done happened to Marse Tom’s house?”
“Where have you been?” Flournoy snapped.
“Jes’ got back from a chu’ch religious meetin’,” Vinegar explained. “Marse Tom lef’ me an’ Hopey in charge of dis house, an’ he ain’t gwine approve his lawn gittin’ trompled up wid white folks.”
“Somebody tried to rob this house while you were away,” Flournoy told him.
Vinegar’s eyes opened until they glowed in the light from the porch like two china door-knobs.
“Did you-all good white folks ketch de robber?”
“No.”