ny'ow
hardly a man--and, besides havin' bin born in thunder, lightnin', wind,
an' rain, you've laid the Atlantic Cable, you've took up lightnin' as a
profession--or a plaything,--you've helped to save the life of John
Johnson, an' you've got comfortably located in a pirate's island! If
you on'y go on as you've begun, you'll make your mark so deep that it'll
never be rubbed out to the end of time. A prophet, indeed! Why, I'm
shuperior to Mahomet, an' beat Nebuchadnezzar all to sticks."

"But you haven't finished your story, Johnson," said Jim Slagg.

"That's true--where was I? Ah, dreamin' in the hold of the pirate-ship.
Well, I woke up with a start all of a suddent, bent on doin' suthin', I
scarce knew what, but I wriggled away at the rope that bound me till I
got my hands free; then I freed my legs; then I loosed some o' the
boldest fellows among the slaves, and got handspikes and bits o' wood to
arm 'em with. They was clever enough to understand signs, an' I
couldn't speak to 'em, not knowin' their lingo, but I signed to 'em to
keep quiet as mice. Then I crep' to the powder-magazine, which the
reckless reptiles fastened very carelessly, and got a bit paper and made
a slow match by rubbin' some wet powder on it, and laid it all handy,
for I was determined to escape and put an end to their doin's all at
once. My plan was to attack and overpower the guard, free and arm all
the slaves, blow up the ship, escape on shore, an' have a pitched battle
with the pirate crew. Unfortunately there was a white-livered traitor
among us--a sort o' half-an'-half slave--very likely he was a spy.
Anyhow, when he saw what I was about, he slipped over the side and swam
quietly ashore. Why he didn't alarm the guards I don't know--p'r'aps he
thought we might be too many for 'em, and that if we conquered he stood
but a small chance. Anyhow he escaped the sharks, and warned the crew
in good time, for we was in the very middle of the scrimmage when they
suddintly turned up, as you saw, an' got the better of us. Hows'ever I
managed to bolt below and fire the slow match, before they saw what I
was after. Then I turned and fought my way on deck again, so that they
didn't find out. And when they was about to throw me overboard, the
thought of the surprise in store for 'em indooced me to give vent to a
hearty cheer. It warn't a right state o' mind, I confess, and I was
properly punished, for, instead o' killin' me off quick an' comforta