His hands and legs, and even his face, were
criss-crossed with many brier scratches. The sun beat down on him
unmercifully, but he stuck to his task so closely that he seemed to see
berries even when his eyes were shut. Every day great pailfuls of the
shining black beads were sent over to Rosehaven, and every night he
dropped a few more nickels into the stocking foot hidden under his
pillow.
"Berries is all mighty nigh cleaned out," he said one noon, when he was
about to start out again after dinner. "Uncle Billy says there's lots of
'em down in the gandah thicket, but I'se mos' afeered to go there."
"Nothin' won't tech you in daylight, honey," answered Mammy,
encouragingly, "but I would n't go through there at night for love or
money I'd as lief go into a lion's cage."
"Did you ever see any ghos'es down there Mammy?" asked John Jay with
eager interest, yet cautiously lowering his voice and taking a step
nearer.
"No," admitted Mammy, "but oldah people than I have seen 'em. All night
long there's great white gandahs flappin' round through that thicket
'thout any heads on.
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