ish yer road dis mawnin', you sho'ly mus' bin
a-gwine som'ers. Ef you _wuz_ gwine som'ers you better be gwine on. Brer
Wolf, he wa'n't gwine nowhars den, en he ain't gwine nowhars now. You
foun' 'im und' dat ar rock, en und' dat ar rock you lef 'im.'

"En, bless gracious!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, "dem ar creeturs racked off
fum dar en lef' ole Brer Wolf und' dat ar rock."

FOOTNOTE:

[62] Hither and yon.

XLVII

BRER RABBIT LAYS IN HIS BEEF SUPPLY

"I wonder where Daddy Jack is," said the little boy, one night after he
had been waiting for some time for Uncle Remus to get leisure to tell
him a story.

Uncle Remus, who was delightfully human in his hypocrisy, as well as in
other directions, leaned back in his chair, looked at the little boy
with an air of grieved resignation, and said:--

"I boun' you does, honey, I boun' you does. Ole Brer Jack look mighty
weazly ter de naked eye, but I lay he's a lots mo' likelier nigger dan
w'at ole Remus is. De time done gone by w'en a po' ole no-'count nigger
lak me kin hol' he han' wid a bran new nigger man lak Brer Jack."

The child stared at Uncle Remus with open-eyed astonishment.

"Now, Uncle Remus! I did n't mean that; you know I did n't," he
exclaimed.

"Bless yo' heart, honey! hit don't pester me. I done got de speunce un
it. Dat I is. Plough-hoss don't squeal en kick w'en dey puts 'n'er hoss
in he place. Brer Jack got de age on 'im but he new ter you. Ole er
young, folks is folks, en no longer'n day 'fo' yistiddy, I year you
braggin' 'bout how de vittles w'at dey feeds you on up at de big house
ain't good ez de vittles w'at yuther childun gits. Nummine ole Remus,
honey; you en Brer Jack des go right erlong en I'll be much 'blige ef
you'll des lemme set in de cornder yer en chunk de fier. Sho'ly I ain't
pas' doin' dat."

The child was troubled to think that Uncle Remus should find it
necessary to depreciate himself, and he made haste to explain his
position.

"I thought that if Daddy Jack was here he could tell me a story while
you are working, so you would n't be bothered."

A broad grin of appreciation spread over Uncle Remus's face. He
adjusted his spectacles, looked around and behind him, and then, seeing
no one but the child, addressed himself to the rafters and cobwebs:--

"Well! well! well! ef dish yer don't beat all! Gentermens! dish yer
little chap yer, he puny in de legs, yit he mighty strong in de head."

He paused, as if reflecting o