t for what is ever more precious than bare
life: for liberty; but though ten awful years have rolled by, here I
remain, in worse than prison! Escape? Ah, how often have I attempted
to escape, only to fail, because escape from these wilds is beyond the
power of any person not gifted with wings!"

"Ten years, you say, good friend? And all that time you have lived here
alone?" asked the professor, curiously.

"Ten years,--ten thousand years, I could almost swear, only for keeping
the record so carefully, so religiously. And--pitiful Lord! How gladly
would I have given my good right arm, just for one faraway glimpse
of civilisation! How often--but I am wearying you, gentlemen, and you
may--pray don't think that I am crazy; you will not?"

Both the professor and Bruno assured him to the contrary, but Waldo was
less affected, and his curiosity could no longer be kept within bounds.
Gently tapping one hairy arm, he spoke:

"I say, friend, what were you doing out yonder in the big suck? Didn't
you know the fun was hardly equal to the risk, sir?"

"Easy, lad," reproved the professor; but with a a smile, which strangely
softened that haggard, weather-worn visage, the stranger spoke:

"Nay, kind sir, do not check the young gentleman. If you could only
realise how sweet it is to my poor ears,--the sound of a friendly voice!
For so many weary years I have never heard one word from human lips
which I could understand or make answer to. And now,--what is it you
wish to know, my dear boy?"

"Well, since you've lived here so long, surely you hadn't ought to get
caught in such a nasty pickle; unless it was through accident?"

"It was partly accidental. One that would have cost me dearly had not
you come to my aid so opportunely. And yet,--only for one thing, I could
scarcely have regretted vanishing for ever down that suck!"

His voice choked, his head bowed, his hands came together in a nervous
grip, all betokening unusual agitation. Even Waldo was just a bit awed,
and the stranger was first to break that silence with words.

"How did the mishap come about, is it, young gentleman?" he said, a wan
smile creeping into his face, and relaxing those tensely drawn muscles
once more. "While I was trying to replenish my stock of provisions, and
after this fashion, good friends.

"I was fishing from a small canoe, and as the bait was not taken well,
I must have fallen into a day dream, thinking of--no matter, now. And
during that dre