“Fo’ de boys an’ Abe kin git dersefs up of’n de groun’ whar Bill knock ’em, Bill wus gwine like er race hoss atter Jacky-Lantern. Bimeby de groun’ ’gun ter git pow’ful sof’, an’ Bill, his foots ’gun ter sink down tur’bul. He can’t go fas’ no mo’,—I tell yer de trufe, hit wus all Bill cud do ter pull hisse’f erlong.”

“What was the matter with Bill, Mammy Phyllis?” whispered Mary Van.

“He in de swamp, honey, whar de groun’ wus mirey,—an’ hit wus full er hants too. Bill feel er hot flash pass him, an’ er Jacky-Lantern’d pop up—hyah come ernuth’r hot[Pg 67] sumthin nuth’r, an’ Willie Wisp ’u’d pop up right ’long side er him.

[Pg 67]

“Bill say, ‘Is dis whar yer lives?’

“Jacky say:

“‘Foll’r me, sonny, I got de money.’

“Johnny Squinch hoot up in de tree: ‘Unch-oo, Doanchu go.’

“Brer Bull Frog holl’r: ‘Go back, go back.’

“Ole lady Gully’s hant come up in er big ball er light, an’ she moan ter Bill:

“‘Foll’r yer track, Ef yer wanter git back.’

“Bill say: ‘Who is you?’

“Miss Gully say:

“‘I’m yo’ Mar— Doan go so far.’

[Pg 68]“Bill say, ‘I done start atter dis gole, an’ I’m gwine see de race out.’

[Pg 68]

“Jacky-Lantern an’ Willie Wisp, an’ all de res’ er de bad hants down in de swamp jes er poppin’ up ev’y which er way, an’ all uv ’em holl’r:

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