"Brer Wolf went atter de doctor," continued Aunt Tempy, making little tucks in her apron, "un w'en he come back Brer Rabbit un de beef done gone; un, bless goodness, ef it had n't er bin fer de sign whar Brer Rabbit built de fier, Brer Wolf would er bin mightly pester'd fer ter fine der place whar de cow bin kilt."
At this juncture, 'Tildy, the house-girl, came in to tell Aunt Tempy that one of the little negroes had been taken suddenly sick.
"I bin huntin' fer you over de whole blessid place," said 'Tildy.
"No, you ain't—no, you ain't. You ain't bin huntin' nowhar. You know'd mighty well whar I wuz."
"Law, Mam' Tempy, I can't keep up wid you. How I know you down yer courtin' wid Unk Remus?"
"Yo' head mighty full er courtin', you nas' stinkin' huzzy!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy.
Uncle Remus, strange to say, was unmoved. He simply said:—
"W'en you see dat ar 'Tildy gal pirootin' 'roun' I boun' you ole Brer Affikin Jack ain't fur off. 'T won't be so mighty long 'fo' de ole creetur'll show up."
"How you know dat, Unk Remus?" exclaimed 'Tildy, showing her white teeth and stretching her eyes. "Hit's de Lord's trufe; Mass Jeems done writ a letter ter Miss Sally, en' he say in dat letter dat Daddy Jack ax 'im fer ter tell Miss Sally ter tell me dat he'll be up yer dis week. Dat ole Affikin ape got de impidence er de Ole Boy. He dunner who he foolin' 'longer!"