"I tell yer," said Chris; "me 'n Dilsey'll fotch de step-ladder wat
Uncle Douglas washes de winders wid."

No sooner said than done, and in a few moments the step-ladder was
placed against the house, and Dilsey prepared to mount it with the plate
in her hand.

But just at this juncture Diddie decided that she would make good her
escape, and, to the great delight of the children, she climbed out of
the window, and descended the ladder, and soon stood safe among them on
the ground.

Then, taking the dinner with them, they ran as fast as they could to the
grove, where they came to a halt on the ditch bank, and Diddie seated
herself on a root of a tree to eat her dinner, while Dumps and Tot
watched the little negroes wade up and down the ditch. The water was
very clear, and not quite knee-deep, and the temptation was too great to
withstand; so the little girls took off their shoes and stockings, and
were soon wading too.

When Diddie had finished her dinner, she joined them; and such a merry
time as they had, burying their little naked feet in the sand, and
splashing the water against each other!

"I tell yer, Diddie," said Dumps, "I don't b'lieve nuthin' 'bout bad
little girls gittin' hurt, an' not havin' no fun when they runs away,
an' don't min' nobody. I b'lieve Mammy jes makes that up ter skyeer us."

"I don't know," replied Diddie; "you 'member the time 'bout Ole Billy?"