The children took a long breath. "Did the hant kill her, Mammy?"
"Hit conjur her so she dunno whut she doin', jes like dat ole chickin try ter do me."
[Illustration: "DAT OLE ROOST'R SQUATTIN' UND'R DE BAID AIN' NUV'R TAK'N HIS EYES OFF 'N ABE."]
"Did the children cry when their mama died?" came tremulously from Mary Van.
"Dey car'ied on right sharply, caze she wus er good ole 'ooman 'fo' she got conjured, an' she wus jes doin' what she think wus right den; but der cryin' wusn't nuthin' ter dat nigg'r Abe howlin' an' moanin' ov'r in de cornd'r. Yer see dat ole roost'r squattin' und'r de baid ain' nuv'r tak'n his eyes off'n Abe, an' Abe want 'im ter g'long an' keep comp'ny wid somebody else sides him. So he holler', 'Mistis, fur de Lawd's sake make Marst'r g'long wid yer.' Den de ole rooster start ter cluckin' an' fussin', an' hit 'pear dat he fixin' ter go to'ards Abe. Abe he start ter hol'rin': 'Nor suh, nor suh, I doan want yer ter g'way fum hyah! I wants Mistis ter come back in one dese big Langshan hens, so you won't git so lonesome, dat's whut I wants.' De rooster keep on er cacklin' an' er fixin' ter fly out'n de wind'r, but Abe think he gwine jump on him, an' he yell, 'Please suh, doan hu't Abe, Marster, caze whin I dies, I'm gwine come back in one dese fine gooses, an' wait on yer plum tell jedgement.'"
"Did old Langshan get all the money, Mammy?" the financial side appealing to Willis.
"He git much uv hit es hit take ter buy pizen ter make er conjur pill ter kill him wid."
"Can you kill a hant?" he asked incredulously.
"Yer can't kill 'em 'zackly, but yer kin run 'em inter sum uth'r creet'r, dat is ef de conjur pill wurk."
"Hole on,--jes one ax at er time--let de lady have de fus time, caze you'se Mammy's man. Now den, ax yer sayso, Ma'y Van."
"She done bin eat up long ergo ef she did," then turning to Willis, "Whut's Mammy's man got ter ax?"
"I want to know how Abe turned to a goose."
"Abe didn't hatt'r turn ter no goose ertall, caze de Lawd done alreddy born'd him er goose.--Come on now, an' less play in de yard."
"Mammy, you cut m' Jack-my-Lantern for me." Willis was struggling to carve features in a huge pumpkin.
"I tole yer ter let Zeek make dat foolish lookin' thing," grumbled Phyllis, faithfully striving however to cut the pumpkin according to Willis's instructions.