midnight
-LSB- Illustration : BROTHER FOX COVETS THE QUILLS -RSB- The old man folded his hands in his lap , and sat quietly gazing into the lightwood fire . Presently he said : `` I ` speck Miss Sally blessin ' us all right now , en fus ' news you know she 'll h ` ist up en have Mars John a-trapesin ' down yer ; en ef she do dat , den ter-morrer mawnin ' my brekkuss 'll be col ' , en lakwise my dinner , en ef dey 's sump 'n' w ` at I ` spizes hit 's col ' vittels . '' Thereupon Uncle Remus arose , shook himself , peered out into the night to discover that the rain had nearly ceased , and then made ready to carry the little boy to his mother . Long before the chickens had crowed for midnight , the child , as well as the old man , had been transported to the land where myths and fables cease to be wonderful , -- the land of pleasant dreams . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FOOTNOTES : -LSB- 20 -RSB- An allusion to the primitive mode of cleaning hogs by heating rocks , and placing them in a barrel or tank of water . -LSB- 21 -RSB- This word `` lonesome , '' as used by the negroes , is the equivalent of `` thrilling , '' `` romantic , '' etc. , and in that sense is very expressive . -LSB- 22 -RSB- An inquiry after his health .