Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-08
CCop fright, 1896. by Joel Chandler Harris)
CHAPTER VIII.-CONTINUBD.

called Aaron. "Are you then afrald?"
The crashing sound In the canes was re-
newed more violently than ever. and in a
moment the white pig-the terror of the
plantation-burst from the reeds with a
.grrnt that was nearly a roar.
81 dunner what dey call him a pig fer"
whispered Drusilla, che big ernough fer two
hogs
And this was true. The White Pig was
not fat, but he was lean and tall. He was
not a pretty pig by any means. There was a
vicious twinkle in his eye. His body was
nearly covered with mud, and one of his ears
was gone, having been torn away by dogs
when he was less able to defend himself
than now.
Ben Ali. Humph! No wonder! What am
IY'
Aaron was about to say something, but
the quick, restless eye of the White Pig
caught sight of the children, and, with a
snort Of mingled fear and rage, he plunged
into the canebrake again. He ran a little
way. as the CT ildren could see by the shak-
ing Of the reeds. and then stopped to listen.
He heard nothing but the loud laugh Aaron
sent after him. a.
go, them cried Aaron. Go and stay.
In the light here your shadow will catch
you. Go, thenl The White Pig that used
Ito roam these fields with me had neither
the heart nor the feet of a fox"
Presently, when everything was quiet. the
children could see by the shaking Of the
reeds that the White Pig was coming out
again. But this time he came no further
than the edge of the swamp. Nothing could
be seen except his head and shoulders, and
these, with one ear gone, were not as pretty
as a picture. His bristles stood up straight
and stiff from fear or anger, giving him a
ragged appearance, and he opened and closed
his mouth viciously.
"Humph! humph!' he said. who are
these, Son of Ben Ali, and what trap have
you set for me2"
Some little children armed with broom
straws." laughed Aaron. Run, White Pig,
run. They will catch you. sure!'
"Boof!' cried the White Pig contemptu-
ously. THE Spotted Sow goes about with
her children squealing behind her. When
Socf S3e Sen of Ben ALI take up that trader
when the White Pig became afraid Of
his shadow" replied Aaron.
Then why call me?' asked the White
Aaron shook his head slowly. you are
right" he replied. why should | cali you
at night, when l have a basket of new corn
scattered for you?'
"Humph!" grunted the White Pig.
Il call you because l choose to. The chill
dren yonder have seen the sign; they have
been touched. They know who we are and
what We are. Two belong by blood to the
? Little Master. That is enough for me-"
"Humph! Boot! Son Of Ben Ali, 1t is
also enough for me. Goof. | have sean
them-they have seen me-what more can
do? Why should I stay? The mud in the
swamp is soft and cool, but here the sun
shines hot"
IF l had a bag of corn" suggested
Aaron.
81 say nothing. Son of Ben Ali. I see no
e"rn and the sun shines hot, What am L
to doa'
These who have been touched and who
have seen the sign are here to speak with
N, you. They came to hear you tell of the time
Il W Or, nd T Iivnd In thoaa alI Ao--s
sleeping and hiding in the daytime, and
slipping about at night"
The White Pigs bristles no longer stood
IN.
"Humph!" he grunted. 'I will go wallow
In the branch and wash the mud of"
Hes gone ter wash his face and hands
an comb his hair" whispered Drusilla. 81
speck he gwine ter come buljin' out'n dat
swamp terreckly. an den what we gwine
do? Ell he look hard at me, I'm gw.ne ter
sall right fiat on de groun' an holler loud
ez ] kin sCuall."
well, If you do that said Buster John,
you'll scare him, and they say that when
a wild hog Is scared he gets mad"
II do know what I'm gwine ter do" re-
marked Drus.lla. after a pause, during which
she seemed to be thinking. but l tell you
now feel mighty quare. Ef dey wuz any
tree 'roun' here I'd climb IL err break my
neck tryin'. You all is de out dolnest white
chillun l ever heerd tell un-comin' way out
here from yo' pa an ma des ter be ripped
up an kilt by a great big oil viii hog"
You know the way back to the wagon
said Buster John. Just go there and wait
till we come. You make too much fuss, any
how"
go dar by myself!'' exclaimed Drusilla.
mo, sub! You don know me! l wouldn't
go cross dat hill dar by myself not fer ham!
Uh. ub! l know l amt got much sense, but
i got mo- sense dan dat. l wouldn't mo-
dan git out er sight er you all To- dat or
White Pig would have me. He may be
UVinn tne rna nnxyh@ NJ t..
III be right here where you all kin see me.
You done rung me, EN- eff ] git kilt you all
will be de casion un it. Ef Marster an
Misstiss done come ter de pass whar dey
want de niggers fed ter hogs, an will hogs
at dat, den | amt got no complaints ter
make"
But Buster John and Sweetest Susan were
paying the smallest attention to. DrusilIa.
They were watching Aaron, and waiting for
the White Pig made his appearance again.
Finally Aaron turned away from the swamp
and came to the children. and presently they
heard the White Pig coming up behind
SO fiercely as before.
Drusilla turned and saw him coming. and
exclaimed: Oar now! what | tell you. Eff
ia a~-started to'ards dat wagon, he'd a got
me sho ez de worp. An he may git me
yit.' She jumped up and ran toward Aaron
ior protection. But he shook her In a way
to convince her that she would do we'll to
keep quiet.
- INV ~ a euHe iHtO the swamp,
wallowed In the clean water of the branch,
ana had then come out and gone round half
a mile to see that there was no ambuscade.
He seemed to be very well satisfied, for he
grunted In a good-humored way as he trotted
IN.
"You didn't go far enough, White Pig"
said Aaron. II forgot you were growing old.
MY men are hid behind the wagon on the
other hill. Next time I will bring them
nearer-even TO the edge OF the swamp"
"Goof! goof9' replied the White Pig.
What would you have? / am alone, You
are yonder, ! am here. How do know
that the Son OF Ben Ali remains the same?
.Humph! let me see for myself. Once you
would go far to scratch my back till fell
asleep In the shade. Once you would shake
down the scaly- barks in the woods. Now
you fling corn here and there and 20 your
way. And sometimes many suns and moons
come between the baskets Of corn. DO
complain? Goofl l go into the cool swamp
and tell the red squirrels that the Son OF
Ben Ali is sick or away on a Journey. And
they say, Come and We go into the woods
beyond the swamp. and then the red squir-
rels shake down the scaly-barks and the
hickory nuts. Goof! goof!'