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they don't git off mighty quick! Why, how in the nation did they ever git into

such a scrape?" ssssssssss

"Easy enough. Miss Hooker was a-visiting, up there to the town"

"Yes, Booth's Landing -- go on."

"She was a-visiting, there at Booth's Landing, and just in the edge of the

evening she started over with her nigger woman in the horse-ferry, to stay all

night at her friend's house, Miss What-you-may-call-her, I disremember her

name, and they lost their steering-oar, and swung around and went a-floating

down, stern-first, about two mile, and saddle-baggsed on the wreck, and the ferry

man and the nigger woman and the horses was all lost, but Miss Hooker she

made a grab and got aboard the wreck. Well, about an hour after dark, we

come along down in our trading-scow, and it was so dark we didn't notice the

wreck till we was right on it; and so we saddle-baggsed; but all of us was saved

but Bill Whipple -- and oh, he was the best cretur! -- I most wish't it had been

me, I do." ssssssssss

"My George! It's the beatenest thing I ever struck. And then what did

yon all do?" ssssssssss

"Well, we hollered and took on, but it's so wide there, we couldn't make

nobody hear. So pap said somebody got to get ashore and get help somehow.

I was the only one that could swim, so I made a dash for it, and Miss Hooker

she said if I didn't strike help sooner, come here and hunt up her uncle, and he'd

fix the thing. I made the land about a mile below, and been fooling along ever

since, trying to get people to do something, but they said, 'What, in such a night

and such a current? there ain't no sense in it; go for the steam-ferry.' Now if

you'll go, and--" ssssssssss

"By Jackson, I'd like to, and blame it I don't know but I will; but who in --

the dingnation's agoin' to pay for it? Do you reckon your pap"

"Why that's all right. Miss Hooker she told me, particular, that her uncle

Hornback" ssssssssss

"Great guns! is Tie her uncle? Looky here, you break for that light

over yonder-way, and turn out west when you git there, and about a quarter

of a mile out you'll come to the tavern; tell 'em to dart you out to Jim Horn-

back's and he'll foot the bill. And don't you fool around any, because he'll

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