How, I
couldn't tell you--but I'd made up my mind that I wouldn't
go under without knowing why. Just then, I saw--two or
three feet from me--what do you think? the end of a rope
that had been fresh cut; so I took leave to make another
jerk, and, by hook or by crook, I got to the rope. When
I pulled, it didn't give; so I pulled again and hauled away
and there I was on dry ground! At the end of the rope,
I found an anchor! Ah, master, I've a right to call that
the anchor of safety, anyhow, if you have no objection. I
knew it again! It was the anchor of the Victoria! You
had grounded there! So I followed the direction of the
rope and that gave me your direction, and, after trying
hard a few times more, I got out of the swamp. I had
got my strength back with my spunk, and I walked on
part of the night away from the lake, until I got to the
edge of a very big wood. There I saw a fenced-in place,
where some horses were grazing, without thinking of any
harm. Now, there are times when everybody knows how
to ride a horse, are there not, doctor? So I didn't spend
much time thinking about it, but jumped right on the back
of one of those innocent animals and away we went galloping
north as fast as our legs could carry us.
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