two o'clock
Dis yer Primus wuz de livelies ' han ' on de place , alluz a-dancin ' , en drinkin ' , en runnin ' roun ' , en singin ' , en pickin ' de banjo ; ` cep 'n' once in a w ` ile , w ` en he 'd ` low he wa 'n' t treated right ` bout sump 'n ernudder , he 'd git so sulky en stubborn dat de w ` ite folks could n ' ha ` dly do nuffin wid ` im . `` It wuz ` gin ' de rules fer any er de han 's ter go ` way fum de plantation at night ; but Primus did n ' min ' de rules , en went w ` en he felt lack it ; en de w ` ite folks purten ' lack dey did n ' know it , fer Primus was dange'ous w ` en he got in dem stubborn spells , en dey 'd ruther not fool wid ` im . `` One night in de spring er de year , Primus slip ' off fum de plantation , en went down on de Wim ` l'ton Road ter a dance gun by some er de free niggers down dere . Dey wuz a fiddle , en a banjo , en a jug gwine roun ' on de outside , en Primus sung en dance ' ` tel ` long ` bout two o'clock in de mawnin ' , w ` en he start ' fer home . Ez he come erlong back , he tuk a nigh-cut ` cross de cottonfiel 's en ` long by de aidge er de Min ` al Spring Swamp , so ez ter git shet er de patteroles w ` at rid up en down de big road fer ter keep de darkies fum runnin ' roun ' nights . Primus was sa ` nt ` rin ' ` long , studyin ' ` bout de good time he 'd had wid de gals , w ` en , ez he wuz gwine by a fence co ` nder , w ` at sh 'd he heah but sump 'n grunt . He stopped a minute ter listen , en he heared sump 'n grunt ag ` in .