t ran his boat as
close as he, could get it to the object of his curiosity and after a
long stare turned his craft and began poling back to shore. When about
twenty yards away he stopped as though he had forgotten some important
matter, and seriously inquired:

"Say, mister, be yo' stuffed wuth cork or wind?"

"Wind," tersely answered the Captain.

He waited for no further reply, but poled solemnly and silently back to
his cabin.

Below Pomeroy, Boyton, making his first all night run and feeling drowsy
was moving along mechanically, when he was startled by hearing the
paddle wheels of a steamer, which proved to be the Telegraph, bearing
right on him. With all his energy he rose up and shouted: "Port, port,
or I am a dead man."

Instantly the wheel was put over and the steamer glided by, barely
missing him.

At six o'clock next morning, as he was nearing Gallipolis, he observed a
boat putting out from one of the floating houses, or Jo-boats that are
frequently met along the Ohio and Mississippi, containing two river
gypsies. Boyton paid no attention to them until they were close
behind. Then he stood up expecting to ask the time of day. He made that
movement just in time, for one of the men, pale with excitement, was
taking deliberate aim at him with a musket. Boyton yelled out a warning
as the trigger was about to be pressed, and saved his life. The river
pirate was profuse in his apologies.

"Great etarnal jeehosophat, straanger; I wouldn't a shot yer 'fur two
dollars an' a half, I wouldn't, by golly, fur I'm loaded bang up ter th'
muzzle with slugs fur geese. It were a narry escape fur me."

When nearing the mouth of the Big Sandy river, which forms the boundary
between West Virginia and Kentucky, Paul was met by the steamer
Fashion, loaded with ladies and gentlemen, who gave him a hearty welcome
to the shores of old Kentucky. At Cattlettsburg, a banquet was spread
on shore, of which he partook and slid back into the water. He arrived
at Ironton at nine o'clock that night where he remained until morning.

From that point to Cincinnati, every town turned out to greet him. The
banks were lined with people and bonfires were built at night. A short
distance above Cincinnati he was met by an excursion steamer containing
notables of that city and newspaper representatives. Madame Modjeska,
who was with the party, presented him with a handsome silk flag. The
river at Cincinnati was crowd