We could get killed if that old man was to find out what we was trying to do to get that church back.

How he gonna find out?

Missy, how many times must I tell you if it's one thing I'm foolproof in its white folk psychology.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of.

Freedom, Missy that's what Big Bethel means.

For you, me and Gitlow.

And we can buy it back for $500 dollars, Missy.

Freedom!

You want it, or dont you?

Of course I want it.

But after all Purlie, that rich old lady didn't exactly leave that $500 to us.

She left it to Aunt Henrietta.

Aunt Henrietta's dead.

- Exactly.

And Henrietta's daughter Cousin Bee is dead, too.

Which makes us next in line to inherit the money by law!

All right, then, why don't we just go on up that hill man-to-man and tell Ol' Cap'n we want our money?

Missy, you've been black as long as I have.

Hell, boy, we could make him give it to us.

Make him how?

He a white man, Missy.

What do you plan to do, sue him?

After all, it is our money, and it was our church.

Can you think of a better way to get it back than with that girl out there?

But you think it'll work, Purlie?

You really think she can fool Ol' Cap'n?

He'll never know what hit him.

Maybe, but there's still the question of Gitlow.

What about Gitlow?

Gitlow has changed his mind.

Well you'll have to change it back.

Missy; help, Missy; Missy help!

Oh help me Missy!

What the devils the matter this time?

There I was, Missy, picking in the high cotton, twice as fast as the human eye could see.

All of a sudden I missed the boll and it fell.

It fell on the ground, Missy.

I stooped as fast as I could to pick it up and ripped the seat of my britches.

There I was, Missy, exposed from stem to stern.

What's so awful about that?

Its only cotton.

But cotton is white, Missy.

We must maintain respect.

Bring me my Sunday School britches.

Ol' Cap'n is coming down into the cotton patch today, and I know you want your Gitlow to look his level best.

Now come on, go get my pants!

You better Gitlow — have I got the girl!

Is that so — what girl?

See?

There she is!

Well?

Well what?

- What do you think?

No, shell never do.

What do you mean, she'll never do?

My advice to you is to take that girl back to Florida as fast as you can.

I can't take that girl back to Florida.

Why cant you take her back to Florida?

'Cause she comes from Alabama.

Gitlow, look at her, shes just the type, just the size, just the style.

And just the girl to get us all in jail.

The answer is no.

Missy?!

Girl or no girl I ain't getting mixed up in no more of your nightmares.

I got my own.

Dammit, Missy, I said let's go!

You want me to take my bat to you again?

No, Missy, control yourself.

It's just that every second Gitlow's off the firing line-up, seven pounds of Ol' Cap'n's cotton don't git gotten.

Gitlow wait a minute!

Wait!

Missy, stop him.

He ain't easy to stop as he used to be.

Especially now Ol' Cap'n's made him Deputy-For-The-Colored.

Deputy-For-The-Colored, what the devil is that?

Who knows?

All I know is Gitlow's changed his mind.

But Gitlow can't change his mind!

Oh, it's easy enough when you ain't got much to start with.