for the niggers that wrote it, I 'low I'd take 'n' lash 'm t'll--” “People to _help_ him, Brother Marples!  Well, I reckon you'd _think_ so if you'd a been in this house for a while back.  Why, they've stole everything they could lay their hands on--and we a-watching all the time, mind you. They stole that shirt right off o' the line! and as for that sheet they made the rag ladder out of, ther' ain't no telling how many times they _didn't_ steal that; and flour, and candles, and candlesticks, and spoons, and the old warming-pan, and most a thousand things that I disremember now, and my new calico dress; and me and Silas and my Sid and Tom on the constant watch day _and_ night, as I was a-telling you, and not a one of us could catch hide nor hair nor sight nor sound of them; and here at the last minute, lo and behold you, they slides right in under our noses and fools us, and not only fools _us_ but the Injun Territory robbers too, and actuly gets _away_ with that nigger safe and sound, and that with sixteen men and twenty-two dogs right on their very heels at that very time!  I tell you, it just bangs anything I ever _heard_ of. Why, _sperits_ couldn't a done better and been no smarter. And I reckon they must a _been_ sperits--because, _you_ know our dogs, and ther' ain't no better; well, them dogs never even got on the _track_ of 'm once!  You explain _that_ to me if you can!--_any_ of you!” “Well, it does beat--” “Laws alive, I never--” “So help me, I wouldn't a be--” “_House_-thieves as well as--” “Goodnessgracioussakes, I'd a ben afeard to live in sich a--” “'Fraid to _live_!--why, I was that scared I dasn't hardly go to bed, or get up, or lay down, or _set_ down, Sister Ridgeway.  Why, they'd steal the very--why, goodness sakes, you can guess what kind of a fluster I was in by the time midnight come last night.  I hope to gracious if I warn't afraid they'd steal some o' the family!  I was just to that pass I didn't have no reasoning faculties no more.