, I sholy will. Ef I don't spell 'er, dey won't be
nuff lef' fer de nex' man ter spell. You kin 'pen' on dat, honey."

Nan suddenly called Uncle Plato's attention to the carriage horses,
which were hitched to the waggon. She said she knew their names well
enough when they were pulling the carriage, but now--

"Haven't you changed the horses, Uncle Plato?" she asked.

"How I gwine change um, honey?"

"I mean, haven't you changed their places?"

"No, ma'am!" he answered with considerable emphasis. "No, ma'am; ef I
wuz ter put dat off hoss in de lead, you'd see some mighty high kickin';
you sho would."

"Oh, let's try it!" cried Nan, with real eagerness.

"Dem may try it what choosen ter try it," responded Uncle Plato, dryly,
"but I'll ax um fer ter kindly le' me git win' er what deyer gwine ter
do, an' den I'll make my 'rangerments fer ter be somers out'n sight an'
hearin'."

"Well, if you haven't made the horses swap places," remarked Nan, "I'll
bet you a thrip that the right-hand horse is named Waffles, and the
left-hand one Battercakes."

At once Uncle Plato became very dignified. "Well-'um, I'm mighty glad
fer ter hear you sesso, kaze ef dey's any one thing what I want mo' dan
anudder, it's a thrip's wuff er mannyfac terbacker. Ez fer de off hoss,
dat's his name--Waffles--you sho called it right. But when it comes ter
de lead hoss, anybody on de plantation, er off'n it, I don't keer whar
dey live at, ef dey yever so much ez hear er dat lead hoss, will be glad
fer ter tell you dat he goes by de name er Muffins." He held out his
hand for the thrip.

"Well, what is the difference?" said Nan, drawing back as if to prevent
him from taking the thrip.

"De diffunce er what?" inquired Uncle Plato.

"And you expect me to give you money you haven't won," declared Nan.
"What's the difference between Battercakes and Muffins? A muffin is a
battercake if you pour three big spoonfuls in a pan and spread it out,
and a battercake is a muffin if you pen it up in a tin-thing like a
napkin ring. Anybody can tell you that, Uncle Plato--yes, anybody."

What reply the old negro would have made to this bit of home-made
casuistry will never be known. That it would have been reasonable, if
not entirely adequate, may well be supposed, but just as he had given
his head a preliminary shake, the rattle of a kettle-drum was heard, and
above the rattle a fife was shrilling.

The shrilling fife, and the roll and rattle of the drums!