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Updated: June 4, 2025
"But she has got other folks, hasn't she?" Rose asked. "You'd think so! Grandchildren by the score," replied the older Armatage girl, laughing. "Sneezer had lots of older brothers and sisters, and they most all have married and live about here and have big families. The grandchildren are running in and out of mammy's cabin all the time.
"I'll get a string and a bent pin and fish for them," said Laddie confidently. "I fished that way in the brook at Pineville." "Huh!" said Frane Armatage, Junior, in scorn. "One of these fish here would swallow your pin and line and haul you in." "Oh!" gasped Vi, with big eyes. "What for?" "No, the fish wouldn't!" declared Laddie promptly. "Yes, it would. And swallow you, too."
After this the little Bunkers and the Armatage children trooped up to the house and went to the room where Mammy June had been put to bed. The doctor had already been to see her this morning. The old colored woman was propped up with pillows and she wore the usual turban on her head. She smiled delightedly when she saw the white children and hailed them as gayly as though she were not in pain.
Armatage, when the party had overtaken the Northern man. "The dogs are the best leaders. Bobo has got a scent for any kind of trail. Come on!" The negroes shouted and swung their torches. Perhaps they made so much noise and had so many lights because they somewhat feared the "ha'nts" that many of them talked about and believed in. But the two white men were not thinking of ghosts.
"What made them shine?" demanded Vi, her usual curiosity aroused. "Because they were mad," said her twin promptly. "That old mother fox didn't want me in there." The adventure was happily ended; that is, for Laddie and Vi. Not so for the foxes. For Mr. Armatage and the gardener came with shovel and club and they dug down to the foxes' den.
I hope they haven't wandered into the thicket." As Mr. Armatage spoke both men heard the terrible scream that had first startled Russ and Rose. Mr. Bunker fairly jumped. "That can't be the children!" he ejaculated. The way his companion looked at him told the children's father a good deal. Mr. Bunker seized Mr. Armatage's arm. "Tell me! What is it?" he asked.
"She certainly would," agreed the planter. "Why?" demanded Vi, who did not understand. "Because half of her would be a fish," said Russ, laughing. "And you would have to have all your house under water, Mr. Armatage, or the mermaid could not get up and down stairs." "I declare, Charley!" exclaimed the visitor, "these young ones of yours are certainly blessed with great imaginations.
The end of that Christmas party was not as pleasant as the beginning. It was long after midnight before even the children were in their beds and composed for sleep. The party broke up at an earlier hour than might have been expected. Rose slept in the room with Phillis and Alice Armatage.
Their presents were stacked with those belonging to the Armatage children under the chimneypiece in the big front parlor, and Mr. Armatage himself made the presentations. There were presents from "all over" for the six little Bunkers; for no matter how far they were away from their many relatives and friends, the six were fondly remembered. Even Cowboy Jack sent gifts from Texas!
And you wouldn't have been if this little Bunker hadn't seen the fire when he did." "Bless him!" groaned the old woman, hugging Russ to her side in the car. "If my Ebenezer had been home it wouldn't never have happened, Mistah Armatage." She harped upon this belief incessantly as they finally drove back to the big house. The fright and exposure quite turned Mammy June's brain for the time.
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