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{{frabfp019.png}} || eagles of the sky ||

anything I ever run acrost in all my wanderin's.
It ain't so bad to be slappin' at pesky skeeters,
'cause I'm used to sich bloodsuckers; but sand-flies,
and' jiggers, an' redbugs make a combination
that'd be hard to beat."

"Try that kerosene again, brother," advised
Jack, who somehow seemed to be a favored one,
since he was immune from similar attacks, and
greatly envied on that account by his unlucky;
pal.

"Yeah!" growled the usually good tempered
Perk, "I've rubbed that on, an' witch hazel, an'
all sorts o' lotions till I guess now I smell like
a stick-pot set out, with old rags smoulderin' to
keep the skeets away. Salt water helps a mite,
but this scratchin' which I just can't let up on
to save my life, makes things worse right along."

Thereupon he kicked off his shoes, removed
his socks, and thrust both feet over the side to
dabble them in the saline water of the lagoon.

"Keep an eye out for that big 'gator we scared
off the bank a while back," warned Jack,
wickedly, "he might think it was a wild duck
splashing, and try to pot it for his supper."

"Huh! mebbe now that's about the only way
to get relief--let him snap the foot off an' it
won't itch me any more."

Nevertheless, despite this reckless assertion
Perk quickly ceased his splashing and resumed

[[19]]

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