Billy knew Aunt Sookey would have something good for supper, and knew that she doted on Saul, so he soon turned up at her quarters, and quickly asked for Uncle Stephen, whom he knew would not welcome him.
“Da he is, jes’ paddlin’ his boat fum de sho;” responded Aunt Sookey. “Gwine ter set his net.”
Billy smelt the frying crabs, and asked in apparent ignorance: “Is you had supper, Aunt Sookey?”
“No indeed, honey; de lard jes’ cummenc’ ter bile.”
“Well, den, I will sing uh new chune I jes’ larnt, while de table gittin’ sot:
“On Tom-big-bee ribber so fair I wuz bawn,
In uh hut made ub leabes ub de tall yaller cawn;
An’ dar I fus’ met wid meh Ju-la so true,
An’ I row’d huh erbout in meh gum-tree canoe,
Singin’ row away row, o’er de watahs so blue,