human
Well, that there low-flung Josh was tellin' me 'bout a English hant what had suffered with a buzzin' an' roarin' in his haid ter that extent he done los' his reason an' one dark night he up'n kilt hissef. An' they do say that the po' man still ain't got no rest from the buzzin' an' he hants these parts, and sometimes them what is 'dicted ter hants kin hear de buzzin' and roarin', 'cause even though the hant is laid the buzzin' an' roarin' roams the mountings lak a lost soul. Whin I gits in the baid, I was plum tuckered out so I didn' wase no time but was soon sleepin' the sleep that falls alike on the jest an' the onjest. I wuck up with a smotherin' feelin'.
gpt
I should think you would, with not a bit of air in your room!
human
I wuck up, as I say, kinder smotherin' like an' then I hears the English hant as plain as day. Bzzzz! Bzzzz! Brrrr! Brrrr! 'My Gawd,' says I, 'pertect me.' I tun over in the baid an' then the buzzin' sounded lak the rushin' of mighty water. 'Mebbe he will pass on by me an' go to Uncle Oscar,' thinks I. 'He was the one what scoffed at Josh's tellin' of the tale.' I kivered my haid an' then that hant got me by the toe.
gpt
But, Susan, laughed Douglas,
human
You mought think it, Miss Douglas, but hants is powerful slick the way they kin change theysefs ter natural things. That debble jes' changed ter hornesses ter mysterfy all of you white folks. He was a debble hant up ter the physological moment all of you appeared. I knows lots about hants from my books.
gpt
Well, I know a lot about hornets from experience,
human
Me, too, drawled Nan.
gpt
My finger is twice its natural size.
human
Well, let's all of us go to sleep now, said Douglas.
gpt
You are not afraid in here, are you, Susan?
human
No'm----
gpt
Helen, whispered Douglas,
human
I am afraid Josh is responsible for the hornets. It sounds as though he had prepared his way to scare Susan by telling the ghost story first.
gpt
I am afraid it is so. We will have to see to that youngster.
human
I think Lewis can handle him. I'll ask him in the morning. In the meantime, I will tell Susan not to mention the 'hants' and maybe Josh will give himself away with curiosity.
gpt
Thain't nothin' 'tall ter hants if you cyarn't tell about 'em,
human
Well, just wait a day, Susan, and then you can tell all you've a mind to.