witness had reached Forty Mile in time to appear against him.

Jalap Coombs told his story in his own picturesque language, but in a
perfectly straightforward manner, and without the slightest hesitation.

When he finished, the Judge questioned him very closely as to the amount
of money given him by Mr. John Ryder, and the prices paid for various
articles of his outfit at St. Michaels.

As a defense against this charge the prisoner claimed that Jalap Coombs
had not been deserted by Simon Goldollar and himself, but had
voluntarily turned back, and that the dogs they had left with him had
run away to follow them much against their wishes. He also stated that
they had taken the dogs and sledge back to the place where they last saw
Jalap Coombs, but that they could not find him.

"They were not his dogs, anyway, Judge," he continued, "nor did he
furnish any of our outfit, except a few provisions, most of which he
traded to the Indians on his own account. This man Coombs was a sailor,
supposed to be a deserter from some ship, and was loafing around St.
Michaels half starved when we picked him up. He claimed to have some
friends on the river who would help him, so we brought him along out of
charity."

"May I toot a horn, Judge?" asked Mr. Skiff Bettens, rising as the
prisoner concluded his remarks.

"Certainly you may, Marshal."

"Waal, I only wanted to say that I've knowed Mr. Jalap Coombs off and on
for a good many years, and in all that time I've never knowed him to
tell a lie nor yet do a mean thing. Moreover I'm willing to stake my
life on his honesty agin that of any living man, for a better sailor, a
squarer man, and a truer friend never trod a deck."

This sincere tribute so affected the simple-hearted sailor-man that he
could only stare open-mouthed at the speaker as though he were talking
in some mysterious language, though in after-years he often referred to
this as the proudest moment of his life. The remainder of the audience
greeted the Marshal's little speech with an outburst of applause which
the Judge was finally obliged to check.

"Letting charge number two rest with the testimony taken," said the
Judge, when quiet was restored, "we will take up charge number three,
which is the most serious of all. We have already learned that the
accused, under the name of Strengel, passed old Fort Adams about a month
ago, bound for this place in company with a man named Goldollar, who
appears to be a pretty tou