. Some of th'
worst men on th' ship put th' blame on me, an' I wasn't a bit guilty.
But it was no use in denyin' it. They was all banded together t' accuse
me t' save themselves. I was found guilty, though I wasn't at all, an' I
was sentenced to a long imprisonment. I just escaped hanging by a hair,
for mutiny on th' high seas is a serious crime.

"But I was innocent, an' I knew it, an' when I found th' trial goin'
against me, I took a chance that offered, an' planned t' escape. I found
a French vessel puttin' t' sea an' as they was short handed I signed on.
Since then I've been in many vessels, but I always keep away from
English ones, and from English ports, for I would be arrested the minute
I set my foot on shore in one. A big reward is out for me."

"How long ago was all this?" asked Ruth.

"Oh, some years."

"But isn't the unjust charge outlawed now?" Alice wanted to know.

"I'm afraid not, Miss. Such things are never outlawed. I daren't go t'
an English port, an' that's hampered me. I have to take what berths I
can get."

"Can't you disprove the mutiny charge?" asked Ruth.

"Not unless some of them involved was to confess, Miss. An' land knows
where those fellers are now. They've disappeared with th' captain an'
Mike Tullane. Of course if I could find either one of them, I could
prove my innocence, an' then I'd be free t' go where I pleased. But I've
about given _that_ up, Miss.

"So I sort of come t' anchor in th' Sailors' Snug Harbor, an' when I
heard about this movin' picture business, and th' chance it gave t' make
a little money, I took it. But when it comes t' doin' some crime for it,
I draws th' line. As I said, I've always lived honest, man and boy, for
many years, an' that one charge is th' only one against me. I'm not
goin' t' take them papers, and substitute false ones."

"But you don't exactly understand," Ruth said with a smile. "I am going
to explain it to you. Mr. Pertell said I might. Now here is the story we
are supposed to act out; and, mind you, it is only _supposing_--make
believe, as we children used to say."

"Oh, it's make believe; is it?" asked Jack Jepson.

"Yes, just make-believe."

"I had a little gal once--long years ago," he said softly, "an' she used
to be great on make-believe games. Is this takin' of them papers a make
believe game?"

"Exactly!" chimed in Alice. "My sister and I have to pretend every day.
It's fun!"

"Well, of course I didn't know _that_," said Ja