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It was kinder thin ice, but I says:

"The captain see me standing around, and told me I better have something to

eat before I went ashore; so he took me in the texas to the officers' lunch, and

give me all I wanted." ssssssssss

I was getting so uneasy I couldn't listen good. I had my mind on the

children all the time; I wanted to get them out to one side, and pump them a

little, and find out who I was. But I couldn't get no show, Mrs. Phelps kept it

up and run on so. Pretty soon she made the cold chills streak all down my back,

because she says: ssssssssss

"But here we're a running on this way, and you hain't told me a word

about Sis, nor any of them. Now I'll rest my works a little, and you start up

yourn; just tell me everything -- tell me all about 'm all -- every one of 'm; and

how they are, and what they're doing, and what they told you to tell me; and

every last thing you can think of." ssssssssss

Well, I see I was up a stump -- and up it good. Providence had stood by me this

fur, all right, but I was hard and tight aground, now. I see it warn't a bit of use

to try to go ahead -- I'd got to throw up my hand. So I says to myself, here's

another place where I got to resk the truth. I opened my mouth to begin; but

she grabbed me and hustled me in behind the bed, and says:

"Here he comes! stick your head down lower -- there, that'll do; you can't be

seen, now. Don't you let on you're here. I'll play a joke on him. Childern,

don't you say a word." ssssssssss

I see I was in a fix, now. But it warn't no use to worry; there warn't nothing

to do but just hold still, and try and be ready to stand from under when the

lightning struck. ssssssssss

I had just one little glimpse of the old gentleman when he come in, then the

bed hid him. Mrs. Phelps she jumps for him and says:

"Has he come?" ssssssssss

"No," says her husband.

"Good-ness gracious!" she says, "what in the world can have become of him?"

"I can't imagine," says the old gentleman; "and I must say, it makes me

dreadful uneasy." ssssssssss

ssssssssss

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