“I ain’t gwine take no mo’ lesson,” he declared. “You-all is jes’ prankin’ wid me. I wants my five dollars back.”
“Nothin’ doin’, Ticky,” Dazzle laughed. “I ain’t gwine git in de habit of givin’ money back--it’s too expensive. Bless Gawd, I ain’t never gib none back yit. Come on wid yo’ lessons!”
“I’s jes’ losin’ time an’ money monkeyin’ wid you-alls,” Tick growled. “You niggers is flimflamuxed me.”
“Naw!” Skeeter howled. “You’ll git yo’ money’s wuth. Lemme take yo’ place an’ show you how it is did!”
“You needn’t apply, Skeeter,” Dazzle grinned. “I’s givin’ dese here lessons. I’ll let Tick set on de bench an’ I’ll show him how it oughter be did. Set down, Tick!”
Tick sat down on the bench with about as much eagerness as a condemned man takes his seat in the electric chair. And he waited for what was to happen with about the same feeling that a man awaits the electric shock.
“Here’s de way to do de kissin’ ack,” Dazzle exclaimed in her best stage voice.
She swept forward in her best stage manner and threw her eager arms around--empty air.
Skeeter Butts grabbed a tree, laid his head back between his shoulder blades, opened his mouth to its fullest extent, and laughed like a fool.
Tick got a Cherokee rosebush between himself and the histrionic beauty and took a lesson in watchful waiting.
“Ketch him, Dazzle,” Skeeter screamed. “Ketch him--O my Lawd!”
His voice trailed off in demoniacal whoops of laughter like a wind-broken calliope, and Dazzle sat down with an astonishment which left her perfectly helpless.
In all her earthly career, she had never before found a man who bolted when she wanted to kiss him!
With a decisive gesture, she removed the five-dollar bill from the palm of her glove, and stood up, facing Tick Hush.
“Come here, Tick, an’ git dis money!” she commanded.
“No’m,” Tick chattered. “I wouldn’t come even fer five dollars!”
“Come on! I won’t kiss you--I jes’ want to han’ dis change back--honest!” Dazzle urged.
“Hang it on de rose bush an’ git back about fawty feet!” Tick commanded. “I ain’t trustin’ nobody no more!”
Dazzle solemnly laid the bill upon a branch of the rose, piercing it with a thorn so that it would not fall to the ground.
“Tick,” she said in a serious tone, “my advices to you is dis: You buy a real nice present fer dat gal of your’n wid dis money. Gib it to her an’ tell her you wants to marry her, den ax her paw to throw you down an hawg-tie you ontil she kin git her fust engagement kiss. Good-by!”