"What's going on out here?" Mama had come flying out the kitchen door! "Is somebody hurt? Bandershanks, where're you at? Huldie, what's wrong?" Huldie slacked up on beating Shoogie, but Shoogie didn't slack up on bawling. She got louder and louder! "Miss, these chillens done stole my snuff!" "Stole your snuff? I declare to my soul! Bandershanks, come here!" "Yes'm. They both been dippin' hit up! See all on their faces? This Shoogie brat, she so black snuff don't show on her'n, but just look 'round that baby's mouth!" Huldie pointed at me and began spanking on Shoogie again. Mama pulled me toward the garden fence, where she jerked up a Jimson weed! "Mama! It's chocolate, Mama! Just chocolate!" But Mama couldn't hear me for all of Shoogie's loud bellowing! She started stinging my legs to pieces! "Mama! It ain't snuff!" I screamed louder. "It ain't! It ain't! Mama! Mama!" She kept flailing my legs. Shoogie, still bucking and rearing like a young colt, broke loose from Huldie and ran streaking toward the wagon shelter. All I could do was dance on one foot and then the other and cry, "Chocolate, Mama! Chocolate!" "Come back here, you little heifer!" Huldie screamed at Shoogie. When she whirled around to see which way Shoogie was running, she stepped on the sugar bowl. She didn't break it, but she bent the handle of the spoon and kicked over the chocolate box. "Law, Miss, how come your pretty sugar bowl settin' down here in this dirt? And here's your chocolate, all spillin' out!" Mama stopped switching my legs. "I declare to my soul! Bandershanks! Huldie, they was just playing like they had snuff. See? It's sugar and chocolate!" "The Lawd help! What chillens won't do! That Shoogie can drive me outta my head!" Mama used the hem of her apron to wipe away the tears and grit on my face. She got off all the smeared sugar and chocolate, too, while she was at it. Then, she kissed my cheek and told me to run on and play. As soon as Shoogie came slipping out from behind the wagon shelter, we settled down in the sand and made frog houses until we heard Mama calling me. "Ma'am!" "Com'ere, hon." "What you want, Mama?" "Papa's coming home to eat his dinner now in a few minutes. After dinner, you can go back to the store with him." "And ride Jake? And help Papa sell stuff?" "He might let you do that. Come on in here in the side room. I want to get you on a clean dress. My, you look like you've been playing with the pigs, instead of Shoogie!" "Is Shoogie going to Papa's store?" "No. Just you." "Mama, you going somewhere?" "Yes, hon. I want to drive over to see some folks and try to get them to come to preaching this Sunday, and to Protracted Meeting, when it starts." "Who you gonna go see?" "Nobody that you know. Come on, let's get you ready." "Mama, lem'me stay here and play with Shoogie." "No, no. You've got to be with me or Papa one all the time now." "'Cause Mister Ward wants to shoot me?"