ll as a barbecue.

All hands on the plantation were up by daylight, and preparing for the
frolic. Some of the negro men, indeed, had been down to the creek all
night setting out their fish-baskets and getting the "pit" ready for the
meats. The pit was a large hole, in which a fire was kindled to roast
the animals, which were suspended over it; and they must commence the
barbecuing very early in the morning, in order to get everything ready
by dinner-time. The children were as much excited over it as the negroes
were, and Mammy could hardly keep them still enough to dress them, they
were so eager to be off. Major and Mrs. Waldron were to go in the light
carriage, but the little folks were to go with Mammy and Aunt Milly in
the spring-wagon, along with the baskets of provisions for the "white
folks' tables;" the bread and vegetables and cakes and pastry for the
negroes' tables had been sent off in a large wagon, and were at the
place for the barbecue long before the white family started from home.
The negroes, too, had all gone. Those who were not able to walk had gone
in wagons, but most of them had walked, for it was only about three
miles from the house.

Despite all their efforts to hurry up Mammy, it was nearly nine o'clock
before the children could get her off; and even then she didn't want to
let Cherubim and Seraphim go, and Uncle Snake-bit Bob, who was driving
the wagon, had to add his entreaties to those of the little folks before
she would consent at all; and after that matter had been decided, and
the baskets all packed in, and the children all comfortably seated, and
Dilsey and Chris and Riar squeezed into the back of the wagon between
the ice-cream freezer and the lemonade buckets, and Cherubim and
Seraphim in the children's laps, and Mammy and Aunt Milly on two
split-bottomed chairs, just back of the driver's seat, and Uncle
Snake-bit Bob, with the reins in his hands, just ready to drive
off--whom should they see but Old Daddy Jake coming down the avenue, and
waving his hat for them to wait for him.

"Dar now!" said Mammy; "de folks done gone an' lef Ole Daddy, an' we
got ter stuff 'im in hyear somewhar."

"They ain't no room in hyear," said Dumps, tightening her grasp on
Cherubim, for she strongly suspected that Mammy would insist on leaving
the puppies to make room for Daddy.

"Well, he ain't got ter be lef'," said Mammy; "I wuz allers larnt ter
'spect ole folks myse'f, an' ef'n dis wagin goes, why d