'im, en dar he wuz. Bless yo' soul,
w'en Brer Rabbit kin git he 'membunce terge'er, he feel ole Mr. Wildcat
a-huggin' 'im fum behime, en w'ispun in he year."

"What did he whisper, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.

"Dis, dat, en de udder, one thing en a nudder."

"But what did he say?"

"De way un it wuz dis," said Uncle Remus, ignoring the child's question,
"Brer Rabbit, he 'uz gallin'-up down de road, en ole Mr. Wildcat, he 'uz
layin' stretch' out takin' a nap on a tree-lim' hangin' 'crosst de road.
He year Brer Rabbit come a-lickity-clickitin' down de road, en he des
sorter fix hisse'f, en w'en Brer Rabbit come a-dancin' und' de lim', all
Mr. Wildcat got ter do is ter drap right down on 'im, en dar he wuz. Mr.
Wildcat hug 'im right up at 'im, en laugh en w'isper in he year."

"Well, Uncle Remus, what did he _say_?" persisted the little boy.

The old man made a sweeping gesture with his left hand that might mean
everything or nothing, and proceeded to tell the story in his own way.

"Ole Mr. Wildcat hug Brer Rabbit up close en w'isper in he year. Brer
Rabbit, he kick, he squall. Bimeby he ketch he breff en 'low:--

"'Ow! O Lordy-lordy! W'at I done gone en done now?'

"Mr. Wildcat, he rub he wet nose on Brer Rabbit year, en make cole chill
run up he back. Bimeby he say:--

"'O Brer Rabbit, I des nat'ally loves you! You bin a-foolin' all er my
cousins en all er my kinfolks, en 't ain't bin so mighty long sence you
set Cousin Fox on me, en little mo' en I'd a-to' 'im in two. O Brer
Rabbit! I des nat'ally loves you,' sezee.

"Den he laugh, en he toofs strak terge'er right close ter Brer Rabbit
year. Brer Rabbit, he 'low, he did:--

"Law, Mr. Wildcat, I thunk maybe you mought lak ter have Brer Fox fer
supper, en dat de reason I sent 'im up ter whar you is. Hit done come
ter mighty purty pass w'en folks can't be fr'en's 'ceppin' sump'n' 'n'er
step in 'twix' en 'tween um, en ef dat de case I ain't gwine ter be
fr'en's no mo'--dat I ain't.'

"Mr. Wildcat wipe he nose on Brer Rabbit year, en he do sorter lak he
studyin'. Brer Rabbit he keep on talkin'. He 'low:--

"'Endurin' er all dis time, is I ever pester 'long wid you, Mr.
Wildcat?'

"'No, Brer Rabbit, I can't say ez you is.'

"'No, Mr. Wildcat, dat I ain't. Let 'lone dat, I done my level bes' fer
ter he'p you out. En dough you done jump on me en skeer me scan'lous,
yit I'm willin' ter do you 'n'er good tu'n. I year some wild turkeys
yelpin' out yan'