the grounds on which I had been intruding, and when I told him of my adventure with the alligator in the pond, he laughed heartily. In reciting my story to him he interrupted me by asking if I had thought of Jonah and the whale when that big pet alligator of his was staring me in the face. Well, not on your life!

I learned that the station was only a ten minute walk, and I made a bee-line for it. I soon arrived, and behind some box cars I sat down to await the train, but, hungry again, I stole over to a small house nearby and secured a snack from the good housewife. With the food wrapped in a piece of newspaper, I returned to my seat behind the car, partook of my noontime meal, finishing off with mixed candies.

The first train that came along was a local freight. I hid myself between the two front box-cars, but before the train drew out I was discovered by the conductor, who made me leave my perch on the couplers. He inquired where I was bound for, and I promptly told him I lived in Orlando and was trying to make my way home. I asked him to allow me to work my way and to this he consented. The freight was soon off and I was on my way once more. At stations I helped the train crew to load and unload the freight.

About five o'clock that afternoon we reached Orlando, where I spent the night in an empty box-car. Kissimmee, a distance of thirty miles, was the next town of any size on the line to Tampa, so I decided to walk the entire distance.

Thirty miles when accurately measured is no short walk, and especially so when over cross-ties and cinders. Well, it was a long, long walk, and before I reached Kissimmee that evening I was both hungry and tired. Thirty miles! It seemed like sixty! Along the route I met several tramps, but did not stop to talk with them. At a house I asked for food, but was refused, the woman telling me that half a dozen of my kind had been there that very day with the same request. On insisting, she sicked the dog after me, and I lost no time in clearing out. After covering about twenty-five miles of the journey my shoes began to hurt and blister my feet so badly I had to take them off and finish the journey in bare feet. Here another trouble arose, for the sharp cinders cut me. This was slow walking, but it was a great deal better than walking in new shoes.

At dusk I limped slowly into Kissimmee with the new tans swinging idly on my arm. I truly felt tired and footsore. I was so hungry I could scarcely pull my weary limbs along the highway. Arriving at the station, I left the track and made my way to the main street. I walked casually into a sixth rate restaurant, and after some bargaining with the proprietress, an old maid from the swamps, I succeeded in inducing her to give me supper in exchange for the shoes I carried under my arm.

"The regular price of a meal here is twenty-five cents," she informed me, and at least she reckoned she would let me eat, provided I would bring around the quarter the next day and redeem the shoes. I handed her the shoes and then seated myself at the table.

I ate a hearty meal of wholesome food, and before I finished I think the old maid regretted her exchange. When finished, I strolled over by the little stove in the dining room and sat down. An old fellow sat just opposite me, and I was just about to ask him if he would know me in the future, when he broke the silence by inquiring, "Where are you from, sonny?"

"Why, I am from North Carolina," I replied.

"Well, what you a doing away off from home down here in this country?"

"Just out for my health," I rejoined.

"You must be taking a natural cure. I see you ain't wearin' no shoes," he blurted, laughing heartily at what he thought a great joke.

To this remark I made no answer, and he again broke the silence by asking several questions; as to whether or not I smoked, chewed, drank or had any bad habits. I told him I did not smoke, drink, chew, nor stay out late at nights, and as for my bad habits that was for others to judge. The old fellow seemed to be rather interested, and before our conversation ended he offered me a job out on his sheep ranch, five dollars a month and board.

Considering his proposition a few moments, I accepted, calculating that the experience itself would be well worth my while. That night he redeemed my shoes. The following afternoon we drove out to his ranch, some fifteen miles from town. He lived in a big log house and, all in all, he was very comfortably fitted up.

My employer, Mr. Heines, conducted a general feed and sale stable in Kissimmee, so the next day he returned to town leaving me there with the members of his family to help around the house, doing odd jobs, such as cutting wood, feeding the pigs and cleaning up the barnyard.

Mr. Heines had an unfortunate brother who was a lunatic, and I had to sleep in the same room with him. This did not suit my fancy very much, so about the fifth day I told Mrs. Heines I wanted to leave. I stayed, however, till the following Monday morning and went back with Mr. Heines, who had come out to spend Sunday with his family.

The week before, "the boss" had received a carload of Texas mules, and for the next few days after my return to town I was engaged in breaking them under saddle. Before I left, I was declared one of the best riders in town.

During my stay in Kissimmee I made the acquaintance of a young fellow by the name of Ed James, an engineer on one of the trade boats which plied over Lake Kissimmee, where its captain traded with the Seminole Indians. Ed told me that if I wished he would get me a place as cabin boy on his boat and that I could make the next trip around the lake with them. This offer I accepted willingly, and a few days later found us steaming around the lake heavily laden with goods of all kinds which Captain Hall traded to the Seminoles for furs, dried fish, shells, and hides, as well as baskets and other little things made by the Indians who inhabit the swamp lands of Florida.

On this trip I served as cabin boy, and it was a most enjoyable two weeks' outing.

After my return from the cruise on the lake, I spent a few days loitering around the town, and then made my way to Tampa. At Tampa I worked several weeks on a fruit boat which ran between Tampa and Key West.

To make a long story short, I visited Miami, Tallahassee and Pensacola, finally arriving back at Tampa some weeks later. From Tampa I journeyed to Sanford via freight train de luxe, and at that place I succeeded in boarding a blind baggage on a passenger bound for Jacksonville. At Sanford I was standing by the track about a quarter of a mile from the station, when I saw the train slowly approaching, but before it reached me it had increased to such speed that I was almost afraid I could not swing aboard. However, I determined to take my chance.

As the engine came steaming by I caught the handle rod of the first coach and swung myself into a position just behind the coal car, and there I rode, standing upright. The engineer and fireman both knew I was on, for the engineer had seen me as I swung into position. Part of the time I rode sitting up on the back of the coal car, and part of the time I rode behind the coal car, standing up and holding myself steady with the iron rod which ran along behind the rim of the car.

We stopped at a little station called Warner, and as we drew up to get water, I suddenly remembered that an old friend of mine, Mr. White, a lawyer whom I had met at a summer resort several seasons before, lived there. By the side of the track I saw a couple of negroes sitting on a pile of cross-ties, and of them I inquired about my friend. They told me they knew Mr. White and that he lived in a house not far distant,