"I is a-holdin' on."

"I mean, wait a bit. Ain't you wet?"

"Of course I's wet."

"Well, then, you stay in there till you get dry It's well you didn't
have your new clothes on."

"Ain't I glad 'bout dem!" enthusiastically ex-claimed the young African.
"Nebber mind dese clo'es. De water on 'em's all good, dry water, like de
res' ob de bay."

And, so saying, Dick tumbled over in, with a spatter which made Ford
Foster tread on two of three crabs in getting away from it. It was not
the first time, by many, that Dick Lee had found himself bathing in that
bay without any time given him to undress.

And now it was discovered that the shipwrecked crabber had never for one
instant lost his hold of the line, to the other end of which was
fastened his precious sheep's-head.

They made a regular crabbing crew now,--two to pull up, and one to scoop
in; and never had the sprawling game been more plentiful on that
pasture, or more apparently in a greedy hurry to be captured.

"What on earth shall we do with them all?" asked Ford.

"Soon's we've got enough for a mess for both our folks," said Dab,
"we'll quit this, and go for some fish. The clams are good bait, and we