Part 18 (2/2)

”Yes, but--but I can't undersand dis nohow!” persisted the colored man, and tried to sit up, only to fall back exhausted.

”Don't try to understand it, Aleck, until you are stronger,” said d.i.c.k. ”Would you like some hot soup?”

”Anyt'ing, sah, anyt'ing! Why, I aint had, no reg'lar meal in most a week!” moaned the sufferer. ”Glory to Heaben dat I am sabed!”

And then he said no more for quite a long, while.

The soup was already at hand, and it was d.i.c.k who fed it slowly and carefully, seeing to it that Pop should have no more than his enfeebled stomach could take care of, for overfeeding, so Mr.

Rover had said, might kill the man.

The next day Pop was able to sit up, although still too weak to stand on his legs. He was continually praising Heaven for his safety.

”I dun Vink I was a goner more dan once,” he said. ”I was on de ocean all alone about a week, I reckon, although I lost time ob days after I'd been out two or Vree nights. I Vink I was most crazy.”

”Perhaps you were, Aleck,” said Sam. ”But tell us how you got in that position.”

”Dat am de queerest part ob it, Master Rober--de queerest part of it. I got into de small boat fo' a sleep, and de fust Ving I knowed I was miles an' miles away from eberyt'ing; yes, sah-miles an' miles away on de boundless ocean, an' not so much as a fis.h.i.+n'

smack sail in sight. Golly, but wasn't I scared--I reckon I dun most turn white!” And Aleck rolled his eyes around impressively.

”You were in a small boat attached to some steamer?”

”Dat's it. Da had been usin' de small boat fo' surnt'ing, and left her overboard.”

”Were you cut adrift?”

”I don't tink I was--but I aint shuah nohow.”

”What boat was it?”

”De Harrison, from Brooklyn, bound to Cuba.”

”Did you s.h.i.+p on her after you left Putnam Hall in such a hurry?

”I did, cos I didn't want de police to coted me. But, say, as true as I stand heah--mean sit heah--I aint guilty of stealin'

dem watches an' t'ings, no I aint!”

And Aleck raised both hands earnestly. ”Captain Putnam made a great mistake when he dun suspect me.”

”We know it,” answered d.i.c.k quietly. ”We thought you innocent all along, Aleck.”

”T'ank yo' fo' dat, Master Rober--I'se glad to see dat I'se got one friend--”

”Three friends, Aleck--we all stood up for you,” interrupted Tom.

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