CAUGHT HIM BY THE TAIL OF 

 THE RED PAJAMAS 



action must be. I handed the boat hook 

 up the ladder, and catching the painter 

 in my hand I guided the tub, as she 

 gleefully ascended a wave, right up to 

 the rail of the ladder. As quickly as I 

 could I threw my paddle in, tossed the 

 painter after it, and, placing my hands 

 on the rail of the ladder, I vaulted over 

 and landed squarely in the middle of 

 the canvas thing. Though I did the 



deed successfully, the quick shift from 

 a comparatively firm footing to that 

 ticklish thing scared me badly. We 

 began to descend into the trough of a 

 sea and we went down, and down, it 

 seemed to me into the very jaws of hell. 

 Then we began to rise, that canvas 

 thing and I. Meantime I hadn't gained 

 my equilibrium. Looking up I saw the 

 ladder. We were rising right under it, 



457 



