Part II. 

Jack was scoopin' up a mess of beans out the pot, says, "Why, hello, daddy." 

"Howdy, son." 

"Come on in, daddy. Get you a chair. Dinner's about ready; just stay and eat with us." 

"No, I thank ye. I couldn't stay." 

"Hit's on the table. Come on sit down." 

"No. I just stopped to light my pipe." 

"Come on, daddy. Let's eat." 

"No, much obliged. I got no time." 

Old Fire Dragaman reached in to get him a coal of fire, go. the biggest chunk in the fireplace, stuck it down in his od started on back. Jack took out and follered him with all that smoke a-bilin' out; watched where he went to, and saw him go down a big straight hole in the ground. 

Will and Tom came on to the house, saw Jack was gone. 

Will says, "I reckon that's the last of Jack. I'll bet ye a dollar Old Fire Dragaman's done took him off and eat him. Dinner's still on the table." 

So they set down and went to eatin'. Jack came on in directly. 

Will says, "Where'n the world ye been,Jack? We 'lowed Old Fire Dragaman had done eat ye up." 

"I been watchin' where Old Fire Dragaman went to." 

"How come dinner yet on the table?" 

"I tried my best to get him to eat," says Jack. "He just lit his old pipe and went on back. I follered him, saw him go down in a big hole out yonder." 

"You right sure ye ain't lyin', Jack?" 

"Why, no," says Jack. "You boys come with me and you can, see the place where he went in at. Let's us get a rope and basked so we can go in that hole and see what's down there." 

So they got a big basket made out of splits, and gathered up al long rope they'd done made out of hickory bark, and Jack foal. 'em on down to Old Fire Dragaman's den. 

"Will, you're the oldest," says Jack; "we'll let you go down first. If you see any danger, you shake the rope and we'll pull ye back up." 

Will got in the basket, says, "You recollect now; whenever I shake that rope, you pull me out of here in a hurry." 

So they let him down. Directly the rope shook, they jerked the basket back out, says, "What'd ye see, Will?" 

"Saw a big house. Hit's like another world down there." 

Then they slapped Tom in the basket and let him down; the rope shook, they hauled him up. 

"What'd you see, Tom?" 

"Saw a house and the Then they got Jack in the basket, and let him down. Jack got down on top of the house, let the basket slip down over the cave. and right on down in the yard. Jack got out, went and knocked on the door. 

The prettiest girlJack ever had seen came out. He started right in to courtin' her, says, "I'm gain' to get you out of here." 

She says, "I got another sister in the next room yonder, prettier'n me. You get her out too." 

So Jack went on in the next room. That second girl was a heap prettier'n the first, and Jack went to talkie' to her and was and said he'd get her out of that place. 

She says, "I got another sister in the next room, prettier'n me. Don't you want to get her out too?" 

"Well, I didn't know they got any prettier'n you," says Jack, "but I'll go see." 

So he went on in. Time Jack saw that 'un he knowed she was the prettiest girl ever lived, so he started in right off talkin' courtin' talk to her; plumb forgot about them other two. 

That girl said to Jack, says, "Old Fire Dragaman'll be back here any minute now. Time he finds you here he'll start in spittin' balls of fire."