For the first time in thirty years, the pest-wagon was on the streets of Tickfall again. It was no longer a shiny, black vehicle, but was rusty, dusty, weather-beaten, and time-worn, more than ever suggestive of diseases and pestilence and sudden death.
As the stretcher bearers marched, they sang. The superb baritone of the Reverend Vinegar Atts rolled like an organ:
“Somebody buried in de graveyard,
Somebody buried in de sea;
Gwine to git up in de mawnin’
Shoutin’ de jubilee.
If you git dare befo’ I do,
Run an’ tell de Lawd I’m comin’, too.
Oh!
Somebody dyin’ on de mountain,
Somebody dyin’ in de bed,
Somebody gwine to rise like a fountain,
Gwine to rise from de dead!
Oh!
If you git dar befo’ I do,
Run an’ tell de Lawd I’m comin’, too!”
“Git back, niggers!” Hitch Diamond bellowed to the crowd when he saw they were disposed to follow. “Keep away! I got awders from de white folks!”
In front of the home of Vakey Vapp the ambulance came to a stop.
“Come out here, Vakey!” Skeeter called.
Vakey stepped out into the middle of her yard with plenty of fresh, untainted air around her.
“You tole me las’ night dat you wanted to deliver to Tick Hush a dyin’ message!” Skeeter exclaimed as he opened the door of the ambulance. “Come up close so you kin speak to him!”
Vakey took a half-step forward and stopped.
Skeeter spread wide the doors of the ambulance and exclaimed dramatically: