Kill you, sure as any thing, if you do." "Did I say 'em all right, Cap'n Dab ?" anxiously inquired Dick, with a happy look on his merry black face.
"Every word," said Dab; "but it's well for you they were all short.

Keep on practising." "I'll jes' do dat, shuah!" Practising?
Dick?
Yes, that was it; and he joined heartily in the peal of laughter with which the success of his first attempt at "w'ite folks' English" was received by that party.
Dab explained, that, as soon as Dick found he was really to go to the academy, he determined to teach his tongue new habits; and the whole company heartily approved, even while they joined Dab in advising him not to attempt too much at a time.
"You might sprain your tongue over a big word," said Ford.
There was an abundance of talk and fun all around, as "The Swallow" skimmed onward; and the outlines of the long, low sand-island were rapidly becoming more distinct.
Nearer they drew, and nearer.
"Is that a light-house, away over there ?" asked Annie of Dab.
"Yes, that's a light-house; and there's a wrecking-station, close down by it." "A wrecking-station ?" "I say," said Ford, "are there men there all the while?
Are there many wrecks on this coast ?" "Ever so many wrecks," said Dab, "and they keep a sharp lookout.

There used to be more before there were so many light-houses.

It was a bad place to go ashore in, too,--almost as bad as Jersey." "Why ?" "Well, the coast itself is mean enough, for shoals and surf; and then there were the wreckers." "Oh! I understand," said Ford.

"Not the Government men." "No, the old sort.