Listen, Hervey, and promise you won't tell anybody.
I'm telling you because I know I can trust you and because I like you and I think you can help me.

I want you to do something for me, will you ?" "Suppose while I'm doing it I should decide I'd rather do something else?
You know how I am." "Well, in that case," said Tom soberly, "you get a large rock tied to your neck by a double sailor's knot, and are gently lowered into Black Lake." "I can undo a double sailor's knot under water," said Hervey.
Tom laughed in spite of himself.

"Hervey," said he, "do you know what kind of tracks those were you followed ?" "A killyloo bird's ?" "They were the tracks of a turtle and I was a fool not to know it.

That turtle had the letters T.H.carved on his shell.

Do you know what those letters might possibly stand for ?" "Terrible Hustler?
How many guesses do I have ?" "Those letters were printed wrong way around in the mud up near that log when the turtle fell off the log upside down," Tom continued soberly.
"He fell all over himself, hey ?" "You didn't happen to notice those letters up there, did you ?" "Not guilty." "It's best always to keep your eyes open," Tom said.
"Not always, Slady." "Yes, always." "When you're asleep ?" Tom was a trifle nettled.