many other grown ones, besides a
crowd of children, the smallest among the latter being clad in the
dishabille of a single garment, which reached perhaps to the knee, but
had little to boast in the way of latitude.

There they all stood in little groups about the yard, looking with awe
and reverence at the great Dr. Rutherford, who sat behind the table with
his black gown and frightful eyes and skull-crowned cap.

"You see these little heaps of powder and this bottle of water. You will
come forward one at a time and pour a few drops of the water in this
bottle on one of these little heaps of powder. If the powder turns
black, the person who pours on the water is 'witched. If the powder
remains white, the person who pours on the water is _not_ 'witched. You
may all examine the powders, and see for yourselves whether there is any
difference between them, and you will each pour from the same bottle."

During a silence so intense that nothing was heard save the hum of two
great "bumblebees" that darted in and out among the trees and flew at
erratic angles above our heads, the negroes came forward and stretched
their necks over each other's shoulders, peering curiously at the
little mounds of powder that lay before them, at the innocent-looking
bottle that stood in their midst, and the great high priest who sat
behind. They stretched their necks over each other's shoulders, and each
endeavored to push his neighbor to the front; but those in front, with
due reverence for the uncanny nature of the table, were determined not
to be forced too near it, and the result was a quiet struggle, a silent
wrestle, an undertone of wriggle, that was irresistibly funny.

Then arose the great high priest: "Range ye!"

Not knowing the nature of this order, the negroes scattered instanter
and then collected _en masse_ around Mr. Smith.

"Range ye! range!" repeated the doctor with dignity, and Edward
proceeded to arrange them in a long, straggling row, urging upon them
that there was no cause for alarm, as, even should any of them prove
'witched, the doctor had charms with him by which to cast off the spell.

"Come, Martha," said Edward; but Martha was dismayed, and giving her
neighbor a hasty shove, exclaimed,

"You go fus', Unk' Lumfrey: you's de preacher."

Uncle Humphrey disengaged his elbow with an angry hitch: "I don't keer
if I is: go 'long yose'f."

"Well, de Lord knows I'm 'feerd to go," said Martha; "but ef I sot up
for pr