“Dey flewed so high dat dey could see down folks’ chimblies; an’ ’pear lack dar wa’n’t no tops on de houses, fur de debil were ’long an’ he onkiver ’em, lack he do ever’ night, an’ Unc’ ’Jah see de white folks, des what dey doin’, some uv ’em ’sleep, some uv ’em drinkin’, some uv ’em dancin’, an’ some uv ’em playing cards, an’ er-doin’ all kinds er devilment dey think nobody kin see—stranglin’ wid ropes, an’ killin’ in de dark, an’ sech lack; but Unc’ ’Jah he ain’t say nuffin, ’case hit wa’n’t none er his business. De debil he were mighty peart, an’ ever’ time dey kim ter rinnin’ water he try ter shoot dat bat er-crost hit, ’case he know er hoodoo cain’t cross er rinnin’ branch; but ever’ time dat bat dive, Unc’ ’Jah he spread he coat-tails wider an’ head ’im off, ’case he know what bre’k he charm, an’ de way dey kep’ er-duckin’ an’ er-divin’ when all hones’ folks was in dey beds was des fa’rly scand’lous; but Unc’ ’Jah were tryin’ ter set dat gal free fum de cuss er de debil. “Well, Unc’ ’Jah he do so lack de bat dat he most furgit whedder he er bat er no, ’case he do dey ways an’ know dey talk ’dout steddyin’ uv hit; but bimeby de debil he git tired er dodgin’ Unc’ ’Jah, ’case he done lef’ dat body so long already dat he know hit dry up an’ crack, lack clay in de sun, an’ he know he gwine hab er power er trouble ter git back inter hit; an’ he see de dodgin’ ain’t do no good, an’ ’pear lack he lef’ dat body ’cross de branch, so he mek de kin’ er breeze blow up dat allus mek Unc’ ’Jah powerful sleepy. Unc’ ’Jah fit hit mighty hard, an’ he op’n he eyes wide an’ cl’ar he throat fur ter wake him up when he feels ’em shet, but Unc’ ’Jah des couldn’ mek er stan’ ’gin dat breeze, an’ es he fly erlong he op’n he mouf an’ ’gin ter snore. Dat were enough fur de debil, an’ de way he mek dat bat duck an’ dive an’ git ’cross dat branch whilst Unc’ ’Jah were nappin’ would er mek yo’ head fa’r swim. Well, when Unc’ ’Jah wake up an’ fin’ hese’f on de groun’, an’ de bat lyin’ dead an’ de debil ’cross de branch, he sho’ were plum mad, an’ he rub an’ rub he charm fur ter mek hit work. [Illustration: “AN’ GIB ONE LAS’ AWFUL HOWL”] “Dar sot Unc’ ’Jah on one side de branch, an’ dar sot de debil on t’other, an’ Unc’ ’Jah couldn’ cross hit, ’case he er hoodoo, an’ dar hain’t no hoodoo kin cross rinnin’ water ’dout bre’kin’ de spell. De debil he drag de body fum unner de trees, but hit were des es dry es clay, an’ de debil tryin’ es hard es he could ter git back inter hit, an’ Unc’ ’Jah des er tryin’ fur ter keep him fum hit. “But de charm ain’ workin’ good, ’count er de rinnin’ water, dough de debil hab er mighty hard time. “De debil sot de body up ’gin er tree, an’ he sot down er facin’ uv hit, an’ he try ter spit hese’f back inter de body; an’ he spit an’ spit twel he mouf plum dry, but dat body ain’ move, ’case de debil done been gone too long, an’ hit done git too dry.