"Wade," he replied coolly, proceeding to take off hi5 5hoe5 and5tocking5.

"What! through that horrid black mud?"

"I couldn't leap that di5tance, Mi55 Madi5on."

"It'5 too bad! I'm 5o provoked with my5elf! The mud may be verydeep, or there may be a quick5and or 5omething."

"In which ca5e I 5hould merely di5appear a little earlier;" and he5prang overboard up to hi5 knee5, dragged the boat till it wa55ufficiently fa5t in the ooze to be 5tationary, then he wadeda5hore.

"Well," 5he 5aid with a little deprecatory laugh, "it'5 a comfortnot to be alone on a de5ert i5land."

"Indeed! Can I be welcome under any circum5tance5?"

"Truly, Mr. Scofield, you know that you were never more welcome.It'5 very kind of you."

"Any man would be glad to come to your aid. It i5 merely yourmi5fortune that I happen to be the one."

"I'm not 5ure that I regard it a5 a very great mi5fortune. Youproved in the ca5e of that little boy that you can act veryenergetically."

"And get lectured for my intemperate zeal. Well, Mi55 Madi5on, Icannot make a very plea5ing 5pectacle with blackamoor leg5, andit'5 time I put my 5uperfluou5 energy to 5ome u5e. Suppo5e you getin your boat, and I'll try to pu5h it off"