During my stay in Kissimmee I made the acquaintance of a young fellow by the name of Ed James, an engineer on one of the trade boats which plied over Lake Kissimmee, where its captain traded with the Seminole Indians. Ed told me that if I wished he would get me a place as cabin boy on his boat and that I could make the next trip around the lake with them. This offer I accepted willingly, and a few days later found us steaming around the lake heavily laden with goods of all kinds which Captain Hall traded to the Seminoles for furs, dried fish, shells, and hides, as well as baskets and other little things made by the Indians who inhabit the swamp lands of Florida. On this trip I served as cabin boy, and it was a most enjoyable two weeks' outing. After my return from the cruise on the lake, I spent a few days loitering around the town, and then made my way to Tampa. At Tampa I worked several weeks on a fruit boat which ran between Tampa and Key West. To make a long story short, I visited Miami, Tallahassee and Pensacola, finally arriving back at Tampa some weeks later. From Tampa I journeyed to Sanford via freight train de luxe, and at that place I succeeded in boarding a blind baggage on a passenger bound for Jacksonville. At Sanford I was standing by the track about a quarter of a mile from the station, when I saw the train slowly approaching, but before it reached me it had increased to such speed that I was almost afraid I could not swing aboard. However, I determined to take my chance. As the engine came steaming by I caught the handle rod of the first coach and swung myself into a position just behind the coal car, and there I rode, standing upright. The engineer and fireman both knew I was on, for the engineer had seen me as I swung into position. Part of the time I rode sitting up on the back of the coal car, and part of the time I rode behind the coal car, standing up and holding myself steady with the iron rod which ran along behind the rim of the car. We stopped at a little station called Warner, and as we drew up to get water, I suddenly remembered that an old friend of mine, Mr. White, a lawyer whom I had met at a summer resort several seasons before, lived there. By the side of the track I saw a couple of negroes sitting on a pile of cross-ties, and of them I inquired about my friend. They told me they knew Mr. White and that he lived in a house not far distant, at the same time pointing out a big residence. Quickly I drew from my pocket a letter which was addressed to me, and after taking the letter out of the envelope, I handed the latter to the negro and asked him to give it to my friend, requesting him to tell Mr. White that I, the person whose name was written on the envelope, had passed through that afternoon. He promised me faithfully that he would, and I afterwards learned that he had.