Mr Patterson came fast, with the hoc.
Mrs Patterson leaned across the fence, reaching her hand.
She was trying to climb the fence.
Give it to me, she said, Give it to me.
Mr Patterson climbed the fence.
He took the letter.
Mrs Patterson's dress was caught on the fence.
I saw her eyes again and I ran down the hill.
"They aint nothing over yonder but houses." Luster said. "We going down to the branch."
They were washing down at the branch.
One of them was singing.
I could smell the clothes flapping, and the smoke blowing across the branch.
"You stay down here." Luster said. "You aint got no business up yonder.
Them folks hit you, sho."
"What he want to do."
"He dont know what he want to do." Luster said. "He think he want to go up yonder where they knocking that hall.
You sit down here and play with your jimson weed.
Look at them chillen playing in the branch, if you got to look at something.
How come you cant behave yourself like folks."
I sat down on the bank, where they were washing, and the smoke blowing blue.
"Is you all seen anything of a quarter down here." Luster said."What quarter."
""The one I had here this morning." Luster said. "I lost it somewhere.
It fell through this here hole in my pocket.
If I dont find it I cant go to the show tonight."
"Where'd you get a quarter, boy.
Find it in white folks' pocket while they aint looking."
"Got it at the getting place." Luster said "Plenty more where that one come ftom. Only I got to find that one. Is you all found it yet."
"I aint studying no quarter.
I got my own business to tend to."
"Come on here." Luster said. "Help me look for it."
"He wouldn't know a quarter if he was to see it, would he.""He can help look just the same." Luster said. "You all going to the show tonight."
"Dont talk to me about no show.
Time I get done over this here tub I be too tired to lift my hand to do nothing."
"I bet you be there." Luster said. "I bet you was there last night.
I bet you all be right there when that tent open."Be enough niggers there without me.
Was last night."
"Nigger's money good as white folks, I reckon."
"White folks gives nigger money because know first white man comes along with a band going to get it all back, so nigger can go to work for some more."
"Aint nobody going make you go to that show."
"Aint yet.
Aint thought of it, I reckon."
"What you got against white folks."
"Aint got nothing against them.
I goes my way and lets white folks go theirs.
I aint studying that show."
"Got a man in it can play a tune on a saw.
Play it like a banjo."
"You go last night." Luster said. "I going tonight If I can find where I lost that quarter."
"You going take him with you, I reckon."
"Me." Luster said. "You reckon I be found anywhere with him, time he start bellering."