So it wont do to scare 'em off now." We went down to a little public square in front of the town, where there was a splendid diving-place.

A good many people were strolling about there, but I don't suppose that a single person who saw those darkey fellows, with nothing on but their cotton trousers,--who stood in a line on the edge of the sea-wall, and plunged in, head foremost, like a lot of frogs, when I threw out a couple of "big coppers,"-- ever supposed that these rascals were diving for monarchical purposes.

The water was so clear that we could see them down at the bottom, swimming and paddling around after the coppers.

When a fellow found one he'd stick it in his mouth, and come up as lively as a cricket, and all ready for another scramble at the bottom.
Sometimes I threw in a silver "check," which is no bigger than a three-cent piece; but, although the water was about fifteen feet deep, it was never lost.

The fellows seemed just as much at home in the water as on land, and I suppose they don't know how to get drowned.