36

LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

that barl to proTe tlie thing by. Show us the bimghole—do—and -we 11
all believe you/

< Say, boys,' says Bill,' less divide it up. Thar's thirteen of us. I can
swaller a thirteenth of the yarn, if you can -worry down the rest.'

Ed got up mad and said they could all go to some place which he ripped
out prettv savage, and then walked off' aft cussing to himself, and they yelling
and jeering at him, and roaring and laughing so you could hear them a
mile.

* Boys, well split
a watermelon on that/

Bays the Child of Ca- ^^^ |&L ^ _

lamity; and he come
rummaging around in
the dark amongst the
shingle bundles where
I was, and put his
hand OB me. I
was warm and soft

WHO ABE YOU?'
and naked; so he says ' Ouch!' and
jumped back.
' Fetch a lantern or a chunk of fire
here, boys—there's a snake here as big
as a cow!'
So they run there with a lantern and
crowded up and looked in on me.
* Come out of that, you beggar!' says one.
* Who are you ?J says another.
1 What are you after here ? Speak up prompt, or overboard you go.*
t Snake hinrt outj "boys, Snatch him out by the heels.'
I began, to beg, and crept out amongst them trembling. They looked me
over, wondering, and the Child of Calamity says__
* A cussed thief! Leud a hand and less heave him overboard !'