THE SKIN OF THE TIGEE CAT. 241 



" Well, Mike, what is it ?" 



" Wall, it's this hyur ; you'd better get yer father to 

 quit that plantation of his, and move up the country a 

 leetle, or else down to Tampa, fur things ain't all right 

 'bout hyur." 



" What is there wrong ?" 



"Wall, there's somethin' wrong with them copper- 

 head snakes, the Injins. Yer can't see it yet, but things 

 aint right, and yer all so far away from everybody at 

 the house that no one kin help you. Yer negroes aint 

 worth nothin' of any 'count in case of difficulty, and 

 yer father aint over liked in the swamp. Thar's nothin' 

 wrong yet, and may be won't be at all, but they are jist 

 like painters^Tmd yer don't know where to find 'em." 



" Why, what have you seen wrong ?" said the young 

 girl, stopping by her boat, and looking at Mike inquir- 

 ingly. 



" Nary a thing, only them fellows have been down 

 here, and I don't like it." 



" But they come to the house, why not here ? You 

 are harsh in your opinion of them." 



" Because they have nothin' to call 'em here. They've 

 been about without showin' themselves, and that's sus- 

 picious. They knew we were here, for they can see our 

 trails all about, yet they didn't stop, and they tried to 

 leave no trail themselves, and that's a bad sign. 'Twunt 

 do any good to say so to your father, but you kin -make 

 him do what's safe, end so I tell you.'* 



" Thank you, Mike. I believe you know better than 



11 



