of such like questions, and, in course, I must answer them. So
then, you see, naturally, 'bellishments creeps in; but I did live
there for two years, that's gospel truth, and I did go pretty nigh
naked, and in winter was pretty near starved to death over and
over again. When the ground was too hard to dig up roots, and the
sea was too rough for the canoes to put out, it went hard with us,
and very often we looked more like living skelingtons than human
beings. Every time a ship came in sight they used to hurry me away
into the woods. I suppose they found me useful, and didn't want
to part with me. At last I got desperate, and made up my mind I'd
make a bolt whatever came of it. They didn't watch me when there
were no ships near. I suppose they thought there was nowhere for
me to run to, so one night I steals down to the shore, gets into
a canoe, puts in a lot of roots which I had dug up and hidden away
in readiness, and so makes off. I rowed hard all night, for I knew
they would be after me when they found I had gone. Them straits
is sometimes miles and miles across; at other times not much more
than a ship's length, and the tide runs through 'em like a mill
race. I had chosen a time when I had the tide with me, and soon
after morning I came to one of them narrow places. I should like to
have stopped here, because it would have been handy for any ship
as passed; but the tide run so strong, and the rocks were so steep
on both sides, that I couldn't make a landing. Howsomdever, directly
it widened out, I managed to paddle into the back water and landed
there. Well, gents, would you believe me, if there wasn't two big
allygaters sitting there with their mouths open ready to swallow
me, canoe and all, when I came to shore."

"No, Jack, I'm afraid we can't believe that. We would if we could,
you know, but alligators are not fond of such cold weather as you'd