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hood of Montego Bay, he was recognised by a slave, 

 who immediately gave the alarm. Unfortunately 

 for this poor fellow, whose name was Taffy, at that 

 moment all his companions happened to be out of 

 hearing; and, after the first moment's alarm, finding 

 that no one approached, the exasperated robber 

 rushed upon him, and lifted the bill-hook, with 

 which he was armed, for the purpose of cleaving his 

 skull. Taffy fled for it ; but Plato was the younger, 

 the stronger, and the swifter of the two, and gained 

 upon him every moment. Taffy, however, on the 

 other hand, possessed that one quality by which, 

 according to the fable, the cat was enabled to save 

 herself from the hounds, when the fox, with his 

 thousand tricks, was caught by them. He was an 

 admirable climber, an art in which Plato possessed 

 no skill ; and a bread-nut tree, which is remarkably 

 difficult of ascent, presenting itself before him, in 

 a few moments Taffy was bawling for help from 

 the very top of it. To reach him was impossible 

 for his enemy ; but still his destruction was hard at 

 hand ; for Plato began to hack the tree with his 

 bill, and it was evident that a very short space of 

 time would be sufficient to level it with the ground. 

 In this dilemma, Taffy had nothing for it but to 

 break off the branches near him ; and he contrived 

 to pelt these so dexterously at the head of his 

 assailant, that he fairly kept him at bay till his 

 cries at length reached the ears of his companions, 

 and their approach compelled the banditti-captain 

 once more to seek safety among the mountains. 



