Paddling under Palmettos — page 263: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

254 Paddling Under Palmettos. “T’d probably afford a vast amount of sport to you fellows, prancing around here chasing a villainous mosquito with a pine knot as big as a house, and achieve glory, too, but I’m inclined to be humble, so I respectfully beg to be excused,” replied Archie, tersely. “Come Dick, give us that old shanty of yours,” said the captain. “Which?” evasively. “You call it ‘Roll a Man Down.’ ”’ “It can’t be sung alone. Every second line is a chorus.” “All right. We'll join in.” “You won't like it.” “Humbug! I heard it before you were born, I reckon. Avast heaving. Tune up.” “Well, if you must, you must. Here goes.” There is little in the words, but a great deal in the singing. Dick drawled it out in a way highly enter- taining, and the others boomed the second and last lines as a chorus with great effect. For the benefit of those who may have heard Dr. Neide sing it around the camp-fire at some old-time canoe meet Eomichbooks (E(0)