and the captain of the schooner eyed them reproachfully.

"I couldn't let you disgrace yourselves by passing my schooner," he said;
"but if it ever happens again I'll fire at the deck. A man that would
pass a schooner in broad daylight is better dead."

There is a fort and garrison at Thirsty Island, but they are not needed.
If an invading fleet comes this way it should be encouraged
by every possible means to land at the island; the heat, the thirst,
the horehound beer, and the Islanders may be trusted to do the rest.




Dan Fitzgerald Explains



The circus was having its afternoon siesta. Overhead the towering
canvas tent spread like a giant mushroom on a network of stalks --
slanting beams, interlaced with guys and wire ropes.

The ring looked small and lonely; its circle of empty benches seemed
to stare intently at it, as though some sort of unseen performance
were going on for the benefit of a ghostly audience. Now and again
a guy rope creaked, or a loose end of canvas flapped like faint,
unreal applause, as the silence shut down again, it did not need
much imagination to people the ring with dead and gone circus riders
performing for the benefit of shadowy spectators packed on those benches.