t," the girl protested. "You might kill someone,
and then you would be hung for murder."

"No, it's not likely I'll shoot, though I'll feel like doin' it if them
men come snookin' 'round here. I'll jist keep the gun in me hands,
that's all. Guess that'll be hint enough fer them fellers."

"Oh, I wish a strong wind would blow," the girl fervently exclaimed.
"I want to get away from here, and out of sight of those men searching
for me over there."

"It does give one a kind of creepy feelin', doesn't it?" Eben replied.
"But I think we'll git a breeze when the tide comes up, an' then we'll
show ye what this old tub kin do."

"Won't that be great! I have often longed for a sail on the river in a
boat such as this. How you must enjoy this life. I know I should."

"Would ye?" Eben asked. "Well, I guess ye'd soon git tired of it if ye
had to do it all the time. It makes a mighty big difference whether ye
do a thing fer pleasure or fer business. I don't like it, anyway, an'
I'm goin' to git clear of it as soon as I kin. Mebbe I'll follow your
example, an' run away."

"Where do you want to go to, and what do you want to do?"

"I want to go to college an' learn to be an engineer."

"An engineer! What, to run an engine on the railroad?"

"No, not that. I want to be a civil engineer, to build bridges, an' do
sich things. I'd like it better'n anything else."

"Why don't you, then? Won't your father let you?"

"No. He thinks it's all nonsense. He says he's raisin' me to take
charge of this boat some day. But, gee whiz, he's countin' on the
wrong chicken. Anyway, by the time dad's done sailin' this boat, it'll
be fit fer the scrap heap."

"Why do you want to be a civil engineer?" the girl asked. "Do you know
anything about the work?"

"Y' bet I do," and Eben smacked his lips. "I've been studyin' bridges
fer years, 'specially the one across the falls. I've a lot of drawin's
of it. Would ye like to see 'em?"

"Indeed I should," was the interested reply. "I used to draw some
myself."

"Ye did!" Eben looked at the girl in admiration. "I never met anyone
before who could draw. Hope ye won't make fun of my scrawls."

"Certainly not. You don't think I would do such a thing, do you?"

Eben made no reply as he was already on his feet, groping with his
right hand upon a shelf over his bunk. In a few minutes he brought
down a well worn scribbler, opened it, and laid it with pride upon the
table.