we had et all the’ war to eat long before, so we had no suppah, an’ the poor leetle fellers war that cold an’ shiverin’ thar in the dark — I made ‘em climb into bed like they war, an’ kivered ‘em up good, an’ thar I lay tryin’ to make out like I war maw, gettin’ my arms ‘round both of ‘em to oncet. Whit cried hisself to sleep, but Cotton he kep’ sayin’ he heered men knockin’ ‘round outside, an’ at last he fell asleep, too. He alluz war a natch’ly skeered kind o’ child.

“Then I lay thar still, list’nin’ to the rain beat on the roof, an’ thinkin’ would maw ever get back again, an’ list’nin’ to hear her workin’ with the lock — hit war a padlock on