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27 - Prisoner of Morro by Upton Sinclair · Prisoner of Morro

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty seven, in which Cliff meets with a surprise.
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  Speaker 1: They were now in a perilous position. They could not
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  Speaker 1: return to the flagship, and at any moment the Spaniards,
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  Speaker 1: finding they were not pursued, might pluck up courage to
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  Speaker 1: seek them out and try conclusions with them once more.
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  Speaker 1: If they should find them on that narrow strip of beach,
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  Speaker 1: the story of the conflict might be a different one.
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  Speaker 1: And then the disappearance of the boat itself pointed to
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  Speaker 1: enemies they had not counted upon, who could have found
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  Speaker 1: and taken it. Well, now we're in a pretty pickle,
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  Speaker 1: exclaimed Cliff, when he became satisfied that the boat had
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  Speaker 1: really been taken. Perhaps, sir, this is not the place
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  Speaker 1: where we left it, ventured one of the men, catching
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  Speaker 1: at that faint hope. I wish you were right, said Cliff.
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  Speaker 1: But there's no doubt about it. The boat has been taken.
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  Speaker 1: There's no doubt of it. The man echo, the boat
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  Speaker 1: is gone. But to make assurance doubly sure, they searched
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  Speaker 1: the beach under Cliff's direction, examining every clump of bushes
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  Speaker 1: that was large enough to conceal the boat. But the
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  Speaker 1: result was a foregone conclusion. The boat was gone. Now
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  Speaker 1: what's to be done, Sir asked one of the men. What, indeed,
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  Speaker 1: something's got to be done, said Cliff with determination. We've
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  Speaker 1: got to get off this island before daybreak. It's easy
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  Speaker 1: to dodge the Spaniards in the darkness, but entirely a
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  Speaker 1: different matter by day. Besides, we seem to have enemies
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  Speaker 1: down here as well as back there on the hill.
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  Speaker 1: He was scanning the water earnestly as he spoke. It
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  Speaker 1: was time, he knew, for the flagship to return to
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  Speaker 1: her position opposite that point, and await the return of
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  Speaker 1: Cliff and his crew. Was she there he could not tell.
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  Speaker 1: The face of the moon was again obscured by clouds,
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  Speaker 1: as it had been most of the night, and it
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  Speaker 1: was impossible for Cliff to discern any object at a
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  Speaker 1: distance across the water. He strained his eyes trying to
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  Speaker 1: catch a glimpse of the ship they had left not
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  Speaker 1: many hours ago. The thought occurred to him, what good
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  Speaker 1: will it do if I do see her? But even
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  Speaker 1: as he looked, the sky suddenly brightened. In a tiny
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  Speaker 1: spot out to sea. A long pencil of light shot
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  Speaker 1: up from the water, and a cloud was tinged with
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  Speaker 1: a speck of dull white light. It's the New York,
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  Speaker 1: cried Cliff, the signal of her searchlight to return. They
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  Speaker 1: watched that tiny beam of light as though there was
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  Speaker 1: hope of succor in its rays, until it suddenly disappeared
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  Speaker 1: and all was dark as before. Now they are waiting
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  Speaker 1: for our appearance, said Cliff. But unfortunately we haven't got wings. Hello,
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  Speaker 1: what does that mean? Cliff had turned suddenly in a
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  Speaker 1: listening attitude toward the land. The others had heard the
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  Speaker 1: same sound that had attracted Cliff. It was the solitary
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  Speaker 1: report of a rifle shot not far in their rear.
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  Speaker 1: The Spaniards must be returning, said Cliff. They have made
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  Speaker 1: up their minds that we had no reinforcements because we
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  Speaker 1: did not pursue them further. I'll go up and reconnoiter
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  Speaker 1: to see what they are up to. I'll go, sir,
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  Speaker 1: volunteered one of the men before Cliff could get away.
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  Speaker 1: You stay here, you may be able to see some
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  Speaker 1: way of getting us off with this. He cautiously hurried
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  Speaker 1: up the side of the bank, leaving Cliff and his
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  Speaker 1: companions in the shelter of the bushes. Below. With ears
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  Speaker 1: alert to any sound by land, they anxiously strained their
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  Speaker 1: eyes across the water, could any way be found to
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  Speaker 1: cross the expanse that lay between them and the flagship.
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  Speaker 1: All were silent for many minutes, and then at last
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  Speaker 1: the searchlight of the flagship flashed out once more and
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  Speaker 1: swept across the waters before it disappeared. So near and
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  Speaker 1: yet so far, exclaimed Cliff. They are getting impatient for
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  Speaker 1: our return. If we could signal them, suggested one of
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  Speaker 1: the men. They would send a boat, But we have
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  Speaker 1: no means of doing that, said Cliff. We can't shout
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  Speaker 1: at them, and a pistol shot would not be heard
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  Speaker 1: except by our friends the enemy. Perhaps they will send
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  Speaker 1: a boat anyhow, persisted The hopeful men of the crew
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  Speaker 1: perhaps ascended Cliff after they get tired of waiting for us.
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  Speaker 1: In a short time, the scout returned with news that
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  Speaker 1: was at least disquieting in their situation. The Spaniards are
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  Speaker 1: after us, sir, he reported. They seem to have rallied
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  Speaker 1: most of their men and are now near the woods
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  Speaker 1: where we met them, cautiously advancing. They have scouts out
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  Speaker 1: looking for us. For I barely escaped running into one
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  Speaker 1: of them. They have guessed the trick we played on them,
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  Speaker 1: said Cliff, and it will go hard with us if
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  Speaker 1: they find us. How near are they, did you say?
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  Speaker 1: They seem to be in the woods now, But they
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  Speaker 1: are advancing steadily. They are scouring the place thoroughly, and
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  Speaker 1: maybe down on us any moment. Well, boys will do
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  Speaker 1: the best we can if they do get here, said
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  Speaker 1: Cliff quietly. A calm settled upon the band, for now
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  Speaker 1: they knew their situation was critical. Their ammunition was nearly exhausted,
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  Speaker 1: and if the enemy should succeed in attacking them from
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  Speaker 1: the vantage of the hillside, little hope of a successful resistance.
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  Speaker 1: Should they succeed in eluding the enemy in the darkness,
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  Speaker 1: there was no doubt that daybreak would seal their fate.
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  Speaker 1: There's no two ways about it, exclained Cliff. We've got
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  Speaker 1: to get off this island, and that pretty soon. See, sir,
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  Speaker 1: cried the hopeful member, who had been intently gazing across
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  Speaker 1: the water. They have sent a boat. Cliff looked in
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  Speaker 1: the direction in which the other was eagerly pointing. Sure enough,
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  Speaker 1: he could discern the outlines of a boat slowly moving
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  Speaker 1: toward them. Some little distance from shore. An involuntary little
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  Speaker 1: cheer went up for the others as they too saw
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  Speaker 1: a boat approaching. We are saved, exclaimed Cliff, and these
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  Speaker 1: dispatches will soon be in the rear Admiral's hands. But suddenly,
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  Speaker 1: the eager watchers saw the boat stop, then, after a
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  Speaker 1: few moments meer around and continue its course down the
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  Speaker 1: coast until it was almost abreast of the spot where
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  Speaker 1: they stood. Then it as suddenly stopped, and after a
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  Speaker 1: moment's pause, retraced its course. What's the matter with those fellows,
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  Speaker 1: exclaimed Cliff. Are they afraid to land? Hadn't we better
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  Speaker 1: signal them, Sir, suggested the man. They don't know where
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  Speaker 1: we are. The boat had again turned as was apparently
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  Speaker 1: patrolling up and down, seemingly waiting for just such assistance
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  Speaker 1: in locating the position of the waiting soldiers. But just
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  Speaker 1: as Cliff was about to attract their attention by a
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  Speaker 1: mighty shout, his practiced ear caught sounds from the hill
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  Speaker 1: above that caused him to stop. The Spanish soldiers were
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  Speaker 1: unmistakably advancing silence. He cautioned in a whisper, the Spaniards
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  Speaker 1: are on the hill above, us, and the slightest noise
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  Speaker 1: will betray us. But the boat, sir, exclaimed the man,
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  Speaker 1: we must signal it. I'll bring it here, said Cliff,
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  Speaker 1: with a sudden resolve. He began divesting himself of his
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  Speaker 1: blouse and trousers as he spoke. What do you mean
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  Speaker 1: to do, sir, asked the men wonderingly. Swim for it,
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  Speaker 1: replied Cliff. That's the only way. But sir, don't delay me,
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  Speaker 1: said Cliff, every moment is precious. Now. With this, he
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  Speaker 1: quietly slid into the water, and with quick, powerful strokes,
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  Speaker 1: shot through the waves towards the boat. Cliff was in
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  Speaker 1: his element in the whole ship's crew. None excelled him
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  Speaker 1: in swimming and diving, and it was with a feeling
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  Speaker 1: of confidence that he forced his way through the water.
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  Speaker 1: He made not a sound as he went along, for
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  Speaker 1: it was to avoid alarming the Spaniards that he had
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  Speaker 1: hit upon this plan. The boat was not far from shore,
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  Speaker 1: and he reached it in a few moments. He was
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  Speaker 1: overjoyed to recognize that it was as he expected, one
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  Speaker 1: of the boats from the flagship. There were two occupants
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  Speaker 1: of the boat, one at the oars and the other
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  Speaker 1: in the stern. Cliff did not recognize them, but he
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  Speaker 1: did not pause. On that account. Time was precious, and
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  Speaker 1: the boat must be gotten to shore, and the balance
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  Speaker 1: of the party taken aboard without delay. Boat ahoy, he
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  Speaker 1: exclaimed joyously, as he reached the side, without having been
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  Speaker 1: seen by the occupants. Take me a boardman, and then
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  Speaker 1: pull for the shore for all you are worth. Cliff's
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  Speaker 1: sudden appearance, in the words he spoke, had a startling
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  Speaker 1: effect upon the oarsman by whose side Cliff made his appearance.
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  Speaker 1: The latter started with an oath, and as Cliff seized
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  Speaker 1: the side of the boat and raised himself partly from
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  Speaker 1: the water, his gaze fell upon the glistening barrel of
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  Speaker 1: a revolver, and back of it he saw a face
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  Speaker 1: distorted with rage and hate. Karambach fell upon Cliff's ears.
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  Speaker 1: It is an Americano death to the American gigs. The
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  Speaker 1: occupants of the boat were Spaniards. End of Chapter twenty seven.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Tom Weiss Tom's Audio books dot Com.