Many's the time I swam across Black Lake.

Water's all right, but swamps--good night! Maybe if you don't live near meadow lands you won't understand how it was.

But when the tide rises twice every twenty--four hours (you learn that in the Fourth Grade), it makes creeks through the meadows and marshes.

Some of them are deep enough for small motor boats even, only you've got to be careful not to stay up one of them too long or you'll get stuck till the next day.

One time that happened to Ed Sanders that owned we Rascal and he was there all night, and he almost died from poison of the mosquitoes.