CHAPTER XXII. THE WORSHIPPERS.

hwasoneofBen'sparticularfavorites. WecomenexttoTiff'scottage,ofwhichtheinmateswereastir,inthecoolnessofthemorning,brightandearly.Tiff'swagonwasasingularcompositearticle,principallyofhisownconstruction.Thebodyofitconsistedofalongpacking-box.Thewheelswerealloddones,thathadbeenbroughthomeatdifferenttimesbyCripps.Theshaftswerehickory-poles,thinnedatoneend,andfastenedtothewagonbynails.Somebarrel-hoopsbentoverthetop,coveredbycoarsewhitecottoncloth,formedthecurtains,andaquantityofloosestrawdispersedinsidewastheonlyseat.Thelean,one-eyedhorsewassecuredtothisvehiclebyaharnessmadeofoldropesbutnomillionaire,however,everenjoyedhisluxuriantly-cushionedcoachwithhalftherelishwithwhichTiffenjoyedhisequipage.Itwastheworkofhishands,thedarlingofhisheart,thedelightofhiseyes.Tobesure,likeothermortaldarlings,itwastobeadmittedthatithaditsweakpointsandfailings.Thewheelswouldnowandthencomeoff,theshaftsgetloose,ortheharnessbreakbutTiffwasalwaysprepared,and,onoccasionofanysuchmishaps,wouldjumpoutandattendtothemwithsuchcheerfulalacrity,that,ifanything,heratherseemedtoloveitbetterfortheaccident.Thereitstandsnow,beforetheinclosureofthelittlecabinandTiff,andFanny,andTeddy,withbustlingassiduity,arepackingandarrangingit.Thegum-treecradle-troughtookprecedenceofallotherarticles.Tiff,bytheprivateadviceofAuntRose,hadjustaddedtothisanimprovement,whichplacedit,inhisview,tip-topamongcradles.Hehadnailedtooneendofitalongsplintofelastichickory,whichdroopedjustoverthebaby'sface.Fromthiswassuspendedamorselofsaltpork,whichthisyoungscionofanobleracesuckedwithaconsideraterelish,whilehislarge,roundeyesopenedandshutwithsleepysatisfaction.ThisarrangementRosehadrecommended,inmysterioustones,asallpowerfulinmakingsuckingbabiesforgettheirmammies,whomotherwisetheymightpineforinamannerprejudicialtotheirhealth. Althoughthedaywassultry,Tiffwasarrayedinhislong-skirtedwhitegreat-coat,ashisnethergarmentswereintoodilapidatedastatetoconsistwiththehonorofthefamily.Hiswhitefelthatstillborethebandofblackcrape. "It'sa'mazin'goodday,blessdeLord!"saidTiff."'Pearslikedeseyerbirdswouldsplitdertroats,praisingdeLord!It'samightygoodzampletous,anyway.Yousee,MissFanny,youneverseebirdsputout,norsnarlylike,rainorshine.Dey'sallersapraisingdeLord.Lord,itseemsasifcrittersisbetterdanwebe!"And,asTiffspoke,heshoulderedintothewagonamightybagofcornbut,failinginwhathemeanttodo,thebagslidovertheside,andtumbledbackintotheroad.Beingsomewhatoftheoldest,thefallburstitasunder,andthecornrolledintothesand,withthatprovokingalacritywhichthingsalwayshavewhentheygothewrongway.FannyandTeddybothutteredanexclamationoflamentationbutTiffheldontohissidesandlaughedtillthetearsrolleddownhischeeks. "He!he!he!ho!ho!ho!Why,datarisdelastbagwe'sgot,anddar'salldecornarunningoutindesand!Ho!ho!ho!Lord,it'ssocurus!" "Why,whatareyougoingtodo?"saidFanny. "Oh,bressyou,MissFanny,"saidTiff,"I'sboundtodosomething,anyhow.'Clareforit,now,ifIhan'tgotabox!"AndTiffsoonreturnedwiththearticleinquestion,whichprovedtoolargeforthewagon.Thecorn,however,wasemptiedintoitprotem.,andTiff,producinghisdarning-needleandthimble,satdownseriouslytothetaskofstitchingupthehole. "DeLord'sthingsan'tneverinahurry,"saidTiff."Cornand'tatoeswillhavedertime,andwhyshouldn'tI?Dar,"hesaid,afterhavingmendedthebagandreplacedthecorn,"datar'sbetternownor'twasbefore." Besideshisownstoreofprovisions,TiffprudentlylaidintohiswagonenoughofgardenstufftoturnapennyforMissFannyandthechildren,onthecamp-ground.Hiscommissariatdepartment,infact,mighthaveprovokedappetite,evenamongthefastidious.Thereweredressedchickensandrabbits,thecoonaforesaid,bundlesofsavoryherbs,crisp,dewylettuce,bunchesofonions,radishes,andgreenpeas. "Tellyewhat,chil'en,"saidTiff,"we'lllivelikeprinces!Andyoumind,ordermeroundwell.Letfolksharye'causewhat'sdeuseofhavinganigger,andnobodyknowingit?" And,everythingbeingarranged,Tiffgotin,andjoggedcomfortablyalong.Attheturnofthecross-road,Tiff,lookingalittlebehind,saw,ontheotherroad,theGordoncarriagecoming,drivenbyOldHundred,arrayedinhisverybestruffledshirt,whitegloves,andgoldhat-band. IfeverTiffcamenearhavingapanginhisheart,itwasatthatmomentbutheretreatedstoutlyupontheideathat,howeverappearancesmightbeagainstthem,hisfamilywasnolessancientandhonorableforthatand,therefore,puttingonallhisdignity,hegavehisbeastanextracut,aswhoshouldsay,"Idon'tcare." But,asill-luckwouldhaveit,thehorse,atthisinstant,givingajerk,wrenchedoutthenailsthatfastenedtheshaftononeside,anditfell,trailingdishonoredontheground.Theropeharnesspulledallawry,andjustatthismomenttheGordoncarriag