wading too.

When Diddie had finished her dinner, she joined them; and such a merry
time as they had, burying their little naked feet in the sand, and
splashing the water against each other!

"I tell yer, Diddie," said Dumps, "I don't b'lieve nuthin' 'bout bad
little girls gittin' hurt, an' not havin' no fun when they runs away,
an' don't min' nobody. I b'lieve Mammy jes makes that up ter skyeer us."

"I don't know," replied Diddie; "you 'member the time 'bout Ole Billy?"

"Oh, I ain't er countin' him," said Dumps; "I ain't er countin' no
sheeps; I'm jes er talkin' 'bout ditches an' things."

And just then the little girls heard some one singing,

"De jay bird died wid de hookin'-coff,
Oh, ladies, ain't yer sorry?"

and Uncle Snake-bit Bob came up the ditch bank with an armful of
white-oak splits.

"Yer'd better git outn dat water," he called, as soon as he saw the
children. "Yer'll all be havin' de croup nex'. Git out, I tell yer! Efn
yer don't, I gwine straight an' tell yer pa."

It needed no second bidding, and the little girls scrambled up the bank,
and, drying their feet as best they could upon their skirts, they put on
their shoes and stockings.

"What are you doin', Uncle Bob?" called Diddie.

"I'm jes er cuttin' me er few willers fur ter make baskit-handles outn."

"Can't we come an' look at yer?" asked Diddie.

"Yes, honey, efn yer wants ter," replied Uncle Bob, mightily pleased.
"You're all pow'ful fon' er dis ole nigger; you're allers wantin' ter be
roun' him."

"It's 'cause you always tell us tales, an' don't quar'l with us,"
replied Diddie, as the children drew near the old man, and watched him
cut the long willow branches.

"Uncle Bob," asked Dumps, "what was that you was singin' 'bout the jay
bird?"

"Lor', honey, hit wuz jes 'boutn 'im dyin' wid de hookin'-coff; but yer
better lef' dem jay birds erlone; yer needn' be er wantin' ter hyear
boutn 'em."

"Why, Uncle Bob?"

"Caze, honey, dem jay birds dey cyars news ter de deb'l, dey do; an' yer
better not fool 'long 'em."

"Do they tell him everything?" asked Diddie, in some solicitude.

"Dat dey do! Dey tells 'im e'bything dey see you do wat ain't right; dey
cyars hit right erlong ter de deb'l."

"Uncle Bob," said Dumps, thoughtfully, "s'posin' they wuz some little
girls l-o-n-g _time_ ergo what stole ernuther little girl outn the
winder, an' then run'd erway, an' waded in er ditch, what they Mammy
never would let 'em; efn er