"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!"
The next night the little boy hardly waited to eat his supper before going to Uncle Remus's house; and when Aunt Tempy failed to put in an appearance as early as he thought necessary, he did not hesitate to go after her. He had an idea that there was a sequel to the story she had told the night before, and he was right. After protesting against being dragged around from post to pillar by children, Aunt Tempy said:--
"Atter Brer Rabbit tuck'n make out he 'uz pizen'd un git all de beef, 't wa'n't long 'fo' he chance to meet ole Brer Wolf right spang in de middle uv de road. Brer Rabbit, he sorter shied off ter one side, but Brer Wolf hail 'im:--
"'W'oa dar, my colty! don't be so gayly. You better be 'shame' yo'se'f 'bout de way you do me w'en we go inter cahoots wid dat beef.'
"Brer Rabbit, he up'n ax Brer Wolf how all his folks. Brer Wolf say:--
"'You'll fin' out how dey all is 'fo' dis day gone by. You took'n took de beef, en now I'm a-gwine ter take'n take you.'
"Wid dis Brer Wolf make a dash at Brer Rabbit, but he des lack a little bit uv bein' quick 'nuff, en Brer Rabbit he des went a-sailin' thoo de woods. Brer Wolf, he tuck atter 'im, en yer dey had it--fus' Brer Rabbit en den Brer Wolf. Brer Rabbit mo' soopler dan Brer Wolf, but Brer Wolf got de 'vantage er de win', en terreckly he push Brer Rabbit so close dat he run in a holler log.
"Brer Rabbit bin in dat log befo' en he know dey's a hole at de t'er een', en he des keep on a-gwine. He dart in one een' en he slip out de udder. He ain't stop ter say goo'-bye; bless you! he des keep on gwine.