per. `Sh--shee!' ses he, as low as he could for
her to hear him.

"She tink she know dat sound, an' she come up to him to see who it was,
an' she yust open her mouf to let out one big squeal, but he nabs her by
de ear in time. `If you don't stop dat row, ole missis,' ses he, `I'll
bite your long fool ears off,' ses he.

"`But we all tink you was dead,' ses she.

"`Hmp!' ses he; `an' I s'pose you's a'ready got anoder ole man in your
eye?' ses he.

"`I hain't,' ses she. `One's enough if he's bin like you. But when Ole
King Lion found de t'ree cows yestiday, an' you wasn't wid 'em, he made
sure you was dead.'

"`An' was he sorry?' axes Hahsie.

"`Yes; he said it was sich a waste o' meat, him not gettin' you to eat,'
ses she.

"`Him he blowed!' ses Hahsie. `You go an' bring me out sometin' nice to
eat, an' den I'll see about him. He may be big an' ugly, but he ain't
so smart as some folk I knows.'

"Well, his missis she bring him out a mealie pap pot wid lots in it yet,
an' some milk, an' he tucks a fair ole little lot inside him. `Dat's
all right,' ses he when he finis'. `Now, you yust fetch me de rake, an'
den skip back an' leave de kitchen door open.'

"She fetches de rake an' hands it to him. `But what's you goin' to do
wid dat?' ses she.

"`Get out o' dis an' shut up, or I'll do it to you instead!' ses he,
makin' a comb at her wid de rake, till she fair flew back to de kitchen.

"Well, he looks at de lights in de winda, an' he tinks o' de good ole
times he's had dere, an' den he fair lands into hisse'f wid dat rake.
He tears all his clo'es an' he tears all his hair, an' he gashes big
streaks in his face an' his hands an' his ribses, till he looks like
he's yust fell into a big ole mimosa an' bin drag' out by de heels. Den
he stagger into de kitchen an' drop on de floor all of a heap. `Where's
Ou' Doctor Jackalse?' ses he--`bring Ou' Jackalse, for I's yust about
gone up.'

"His wife yust gi'en one big ole squeal an' all de house was upside
down. Here dey all comes a runnin' an' a yappin', an' here's King Lion
troo 'em all. `Hello, you skellum,' ses he, `where come yeh from now?'

"Little Hahsie opens one eye an' looks at him. `From where dem t'ree
cows horn me nea'ly to deaf, 'cause I stopped 'em wanderin',' ses he.
`I yust got here to-night to see my ole missis agen 'fore I pegs out.'

"`Allah Crachty now!' ses King Lion, `ain't dat funny! But where's
darie Ou' Jackalse? Let's have dis