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 dick ”Would you like so! Why, I aint had, no reg'lar meal in most a week!” moaned the sufferer ”Glory to Heaben dat I a, while
The soup was already at hand, and it was dick who fed it slowly and carefully, seeing to it that Pop should have no more than his enfeebled sto, so Mr
Rover had said, ht kill the h 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 tihts I Vink I was most crazy”
”Perhaps you were, Aleck,” said Saot in that position”
”Dat am de queerest part ob it, Master Rober--de queerest part of it I got into de s I knowed I was ; yes, sah-miles an' miles away on de boundless ocean, an' not so ht 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 s, 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 shi+p on her after you left Putnam Hall in such a hurry?
”I did, cos I didn't want de police to coted uilty of stealin'
des, no I aint!”
And Aleck raised both hands earnestly ”Captain Putnareat mistake when he dun suspect ht 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