owd, and you
can't move an inch beyond your nose. The only way is, watch your chance,
wait till you can get your hands up, then turn the fust two persons
that's next to you right round, and slip between them like a turn stile
in the park, and work your passage that way. Which is the Prince? That's
him with the hair carefully divided, him with the moustaches. I've seed
him; a plaguy handsum man he is, too. Let me out now. I'm stifled, I'm
choked. My jaws stick together, I can't open 'em no more; and my wind
won't hold out another minute.

"I have it now, I've got an idea. See if I don't put the leake into
'em. Won't I _do_ them, that's all? Clear the way there, the Prince is a
comin', _and_ so is the Duke. And a way is opened: waves o' the sea roll
hack at these words, and I walks right out, as large as life, and the
fust Egyptian that follers is drowned, for the water has closed
over him. Sarves him right, too, what business had he to grasp my
life-preserver without leave. I have enough to do to get along by my own
wit, without carry in' double.

"'Where is the Prince? Didn't they say he was a comin'? Who was that
went out? He don't look like the Prince; he ain't half so handsum, that
feller, he looks, like a Yankee.' 'Why, that was Sam Slick.' 'Capital,
that! What a droll feller he is; he is always so ready! He desarves
credit for that trick.' Guess I do; but let old Connecticut alone;
us Slickville boys always find a way to dodge in or out embargo or no
embargo, blockade or no blockade, we larnt that last war.

"Here I am in the street agin; the air feels handsum. I have another
invitation to-night, shall I go? Guess I will. All the world is at these
two last places, I reckin there will be breathin' room at the next; and
I want an ice cream to cool my coppers, shockin' bad.--Creation! It is
wus than ever; this party beats t'other ones all holler. They ain't no
touch to it. I'll jist go and make a scrape to old uncle and aunty, and
then cut stick; for I hante strength to swiggle my way through another
mob.

"'You had better get in fust, though, hadn't you, Sam? for here you
are agin wracked, by gosh, drove right slap ashore atween them two fat
women, and fairly wedged in and bilged. You can't get through, and can't
get out, if you was to die for it.' 'Can't I though? I'll try; for I
never give in, till I can't help it. So here's at it. Heave off, put
all steam on, and back out, starn fust, and then swing round into