At the present moment Jabe was enjoying a cud of Old Virginia plug
tobacco, and taking in no more of the landscape than he could avoid,
when Maria, having wound up to the top of Marm Berry's hill, in spite of
herself walked directly out on one side of the road, and stopped short
to make room for the passage of an imposing procession, made up of one
straw phaeton, one baby, one strange boy, and one strange dog.

Jabe eyed the party with some placid interest, for he loved children,
but with no undue excitement. Shifting his huge quid, he inquired in his
usual leisurely manner, "Which way yer goin', bub,--t' the Swamp or t'
the Falls?"

Timothy thought neither sounded especially inviting, but, rapidly
choosing the lesser evil, replied, "To the Falls, sir."

"Thy way happens to be my way, 's Rewth said to Naomi; so 'f gittin'
over the road's your objeck, 'n' y' ain't pertickler 'baout the gait ye
travel, ye can git in 'n' ride a piece. We don't b'lieve in hurryin',
Mariar 'n' me. Slow 'n' easy goes fur in a day, 's our motto. Can ye git
your folks aboard withaout spillin' any of 'em?"

No wonder he asked, for Gay was in such a wild state of excitement that
she could hardly be held.

"I can lift Gay up, if you'll please take her, sir," said Timothy; "and
if you're quite sure the horse will stand still."

"Bless your soul, she'll stan' all right; she likes stan'in' a heap
better 'n she doos goin'; runnin' away ain't no temptation to Maria