saved. You'd oughter seed how glad my
poor messmates wuz when I finally cut ther crocodiles loose an' we
sailed in clear water---"

"It must have been great," dryly said Timberlake.

"Ay now," proudly replied Tim. "That it wuz, sir."

"Say, Tim, that would be a splendid yarn only for one thing."

"An' wot might that be, Mr. Timberlake?"

"Crocodiles can't live in salt water, and as the Red Sea is exceedingly
briny, I don't understand how the ones you captured could have been
there and submitted to being harnessed as you did it, without offering
to make a meal of you."

A rather startled look crossed Tim's face.

He thoughtfully rubbed his big red nose and gasped:

"Gee whiz!"

The fact was Tim was an awful liar.

He seldom spun a yarn without being tripped up.

That is the trouble with most liars; they generally make an error in
their stories which won't stand analysis.

"Will you be kind enough to explain how those saurians happened to be in
that sea in such a docile frame of mind, Tim?" asked Timberlake, with a
provoking smile of derision.

"No, sir," flatly answered the old sailor, who was utterly at a loss how
to clear himself. "The fact are, sir, as I never gives explanations e'
my yarns, an'---"

But here he was interrupted.

By the wild shriek of an accordeon.

In the hands of Fritz.

The Dutchmen hated Tim's yarns.

And Tim hated Fritz's music with equal fervor.

Consequently, while the yarn caused the fat fellow to strike up his
frantic melody, the music grated on Tim's ears so that a wild desire
entered his soul to pulverize the Dutchman.

"Hey!" he howled, shaking his fist at Fritz. "Belay thar!"

"Shiminey Christmas, vos yer tink I vould listen ter some more ohf dem
lies mitoud dot I trownd it oud alretty?" fiercely bellowed Fritz,
working away at the wheezy box.

"Ye kin dash my toplights if I don't wipe up ther floor wi' yer then!"
yelled Tim, and he made a rush for Fritz.

"Shtood beck!" roared the Dutchman. "Stob a leedle, or py yiminey I soak
yer in der chaw mit dot moosic!"

He brandished his accordeon in the air by the strap as he spoke, and as
it opened out and his fingers were pressing on several of the keys, it
let out a shrieking groan horrible to hear.

Tim did not pause.

His spunk was up.

As soon as he reached Fritz be gave a whoop and jumped on him.

The next moment they were tangled up in a heap on the floor, and a
terrific struggle began between them, t