in't you heah me callin' you, boy? You better come when I call you.
I'll tyah you all to pieces!" pursued the woman, in the angriest of
keys, her countenance, however, appearing unruffled. The head of the
caravan stooped and deposited his burden carefully on the ground; then,
with a comical look of mingled alarm and penitence, he slowly
approached the door, keeping his eye watchfully on his mother, and,
picking his opportunity, slipped in past her, dodging skilfully just
enough to escape a blow which she aimed at him, and which would have
"slapped him flat" had it struck him, but which, in truth, was intended
merely to warn and keep him in wholesome fear, and was purposely aimed
high enough to miss him, allowing for the certain dodge.

The culprit, having stifled the whimper with which he was prepared,
flung himself on to the foot of the rough plank cradle, and began to
rock it violently and noisily, using one leg as a lever, and singing an
accompaniment, of which the only words that rose above the noise of the
rockers were "By-a-by, don't you cry; go to sleep, little baby"; and
sure enough the baby stopped crying and went to sleep.

Eph watched his mammy furtively as she scraped away the ashes and laid
the thick pone of dough on the hearth, and shoveled the hot ashes upon
it. Supper would be ready directly, and it was time to propitiate her.
He bethought himself of a message.

"Mammy, Ole 'Stracted say you must bring he shut; he say he marster
comin' to-night."

"How he say he is?" inquired the woman, with some interest.

"He ain' say--jes say he want he shut. He sutny is comical--he layin'
down in de baid." Then, having relieved his mind, Eph went to sleep in
the cradle.

"'Layin' down in de baid?'" quoted the woman to herself as she moved
about the room. "I 'ain' nuver hern 'bout dat befo'. Dat sutny is a
comical ole man anyways. He say he used to live on dis plantation, an'
yit he al'ays talkin' 'bout de gret house an' de fine kerridges dee
used to have, an' 'bout he marster comin' to buy him back. De 'ain'
nuver been no gret house on dis place, not sence I know nuttin 'bout
it, 'sep de overseer house whar dat man live. I heah Ephum say Aunt
Dinah tell him de ole house whar used to be on de hill whar dat gret
oak-tree is in de pines bu'nt down de year he wuz born, an' he ole
marster had to live in de overseer house, an' hit break he heart, an'
dee teck all he niggers, an' dat's de way _he_ come to blongst to w