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CHILDREN
What is it? Oh what is it, Uncle Daniel, [I'm afraid?
UNCLE DANIEL
Hush—don't talk loud, it was de debbil!
CHILDREN
Oh my, Uncle Daniel!
UNCLE DANIEL
Sarten sure, and it's de principle debbil, and he's just been down the ribber, cooling himself off.]
(CHILDREN nestle close to DANIEL.)
You stick right clos' to me. Don't be afeared, I'se wid you. [
(Boastingly.)
] I isn't skeered, hare why, I seed him once before, up in Tennessee. [Now some folks would have run away, but you know, Chil'len I ain't one of de kind that runs. So I just straightened my'sef up so— and I says,] says I, "What do you want he'ah?" Says he, "I want you!" Well Chil'len, I had a big club in my hand and I commences to inch up to that air debbil, till I got just so close that I knowed he couldn't skip out'en de way—then I ris up so—
(Noise of a Steamboat again.
DANIEL and CHILDREN run off stage.
Enter CLAY and LAURA.)CLAY
Well that's the worst case of scare I ever saw. The old man's afraid of the Steamboat. Here Uncle Daniel, you rascal, come here!
(Enter UNCLE DANIEL and CHILDREN.)
[Why Uncle Daniel, what was the matter, were you scared?]
UNCLE DANIEL
How can you talk to me dat way, Mars Clay. I isn't fraid o' nothin'.
CLAY
O, you're not. Well, don't you know any better that to wander out here with my little sister and run the chance of having her eaten up by an elephant or some wild beast?
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