LOST TREASURE
days longer that he may have an opportunity to come and thank the divine Portia."
"Fo' de Lawd's sake honey," cried Esmeralda. "You all doan mean to tell me dat youse a-goin' to stay right yere in dis yere lan' of carnivable animals when you all done got de oppahtunity to escapade on dat crosier? Doan yo' tell me dat, honey."
"Why, Esmeralda! You should be ashamed of yourself," cried Jane Porter. "Is this any way to show your gratitude to the man who saved your life twice?"
"Well Miss Jane, das all jes' as yo' say; but dat dere fores' lawd never did save us to stay yere. He done save us so we all could get away from yere. Ah expec' he be mighty peevish when he fin' we ain't got no mo' sense 'n to stay right yere after he done give us de chanct to get away.
"Ah hoped Ah'd never have to sleep in dis yere geological garden another night and listen to all dem lonesome noises dat come out of dat jumble after dark."
"I don't blame you a bit, Esmeralda," said Clayton, "and you certainly did hit it off right when you called them 'lonesome' noises. I never have been able to find the right word for them but that's it, don't you know, lonesome noises."
"You and Esmeralda had better go and live on the cruiser," said Jane Porter, in fine scorn.
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