pose it's because I fished you
out o' the river. You always think that the fish you ketch yourself are
the best. Do you reckon that's the reason why we like him, Ike?"

Ike nodded.

"Then, bein' as we don't want to lose your company, an' seein' that you
mean what you say, we'll keep the gold, though half of it must go to
that lunkhead, Ike, my nephew."

"Then it's settled," said Harry, "and we'll never say another word about
it. You agree to that?"

"Yes," replied Jarvis, and Ike nodded.

Harry took his place at the oar. Although he was not as skillful as Ike,
he did well, and the boat sped on upon the deep bosom of the Kentucky.
The work was good for Harry. It made his blood flow once more in a full
tide and he felt a distinct elation.

Jarvis began singing again. He changed from Juanita to "Poor Nelly
Gray":

"And poor Nelly Gray, she is up in Heaven, they say,
And I shall never see my darling any more."

Harry found his oar swinging to the tune as Ike's had swung to that of
Juanita, and he did not feel fatigue. They met few people upon the
river. Once a raft passed them, but Jarvis, looking at it keenly,
said that it had come down from one of the northern forks of the
Kentucky and not from his part of the country. They saw skiffs two or
three times, but did not stop to exchange words with their occupants,
continuing steadily into the heart of the Bluegrass.

They relieved one another throughout the day and at night, tired but
cheerful, drew up their boat at a point, where there was a narrow
stretch of grass between the water and the cliff, with a rope ferry
three or four hundred yards farther on.

"We'll tie up the boat here, cook supper and sleep on dry ground,"
said Jarvis.

CHAPTER X

OVER THE MOUNTAINS

The boat was secured firmly among the bushes, and finding an abundance
of fallen wood along the beach, they pulled it into a heap and kindled a
fire. The night, as usual, was cool, but the pleasant flames dispelled
the chill, and the cove was very snug and comfortable after a day of
hard and continuous work. Jarvis and Ike did the cooking, at which they
were adepts.

"After pullin' a boat ten or twelve hours there's nothin' like somethin'
warm inside you to make you feel good," said Jarvis. "Ike, you lunkhead,
hurry up with that coffee pot. Me an' Harry can't wait more'n a minute
longer."

Ike grinned and hurried. A fine bed of coals had now formed, and in a