"What's you girls doin'?"
Shoogie's eyes got big. She gulped, stretched her neck, and beat herself on the chest. In trying to answer, she nearly choked!
"We're dipping snuff," I told Huldie, as soon as I could swallow.
"Good Lawd 'a mercy!"
Huldie grabbed for Shoogie! She caught her arm, but she was having such a time trying to get the basket down from her head that Shoogie snatched away. The basket tipped over, spilling cabbages all over the well lot.
Huldie whirled around and grabbed Shoogie with both hands. She started screaming. I hid behind a tub.
"I'll learn you! I'll learn you! Cuss your black hide, young'un, I's gwine to break you from this snuff-stealin' and dippin'."
Shoogie wasn't listening. She was shrieking and kicking as if her grandma were tearing her apart, and Huldie still hadn't hit her the first lick. The next second, though, she bent Shoogie over her knees, yanked up her dress tail, and started giving her pink bloomers and her bottom one hard "whap, whap, whap" right after another!
"What's going on out here?"
Mama had come flying out the kitchen door!