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How My Shore Adventure Began

           Theplacewasentirelyland-locked,buriedinwoods,thetreescomingrightdowntohigh-watermark,theshoresmostlyflat,andthehilltopsstandingroundatadistanceinasortofamphitheatre,onehere,onethere.Twolittlerivers,orrathertwoswamps,emptiedoutintothispond,asyoumightcallit;andthefoliageroundthatpartoftheshorehadakindofpoisonousbrightness.Fromtheshipwecouldseenothingofthehouseorstockade,fortheywerequiteburiedamongtrees;andifithadnotbeenforthechartonthecompanion,wemighthavebeenthefirstthathadeveranchoredtheresincetheislandaroseoutoftheseas.

           Therewasnotabreathofairmoving,norasoundbutthatofthesurfboominghalfamileawayalongthebeachesandagainsttherocksoutside.Apeculiarstagnantsmellhungovertheanchorageasmellofsoddenleavesandrottingtreetrunks.Iobservedthedoctorsniffingandsniffing,likesomeonetastingabadegg.

           "Idon’tknowabouttreasure,"hesaid,"butI’llstakemywigthere’sfeverhere."

           Iftheconductofthemenhadbeenalarmingintheboat,itbecametrulythreateningwhentheyhadcomeaboard.Theylayaboutthedeckgrowlingtogetherintalk.Theslightestorderwasreceivedwithablacklookandgrudginglyandcarelesslyobeyed.Eventhehonesthandsmusthavecaughttheinfection,fortherewasnotonemanaboardtomendanother.Mutiny,itwasplain,hungoveruslikeathunder-cloud.

           Anditwasnotonlyweofthecabinpartywhoperceivedthedanger.LongJohnwashardatworkgoingfromgrouptogroup,spendinghimselfingoodadvice,andasforexamplenomancouldhaveshownabetter.Hefairlyoutstrippedhimselfinwillingnessandcivility;hewasallsmilestoeveryone.

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Roboto Lora
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