ought him to Milligan's
Bend where he stopped at a planter's house over night. The next day was
Sunday and as he only had a twenty mile run to reach Vicksburg, he did
not propose to start until rather late in the day, so that he would land
at Vicksburg during the afternoon. While he was taking it easy, chatting
with the planter, and enjoying a fragrant cigar, the old minister of
the parish called, and was introduced to him.

"God bless you my son," said the venerable gentleman, pressing Paul's
hand, "I must say I have called expressly to see you and ask you to do
me a favor."

"I would be pleased to do anything in my power for you," replied Boyton.

"I knew you would, God bless you, I knew you would," fervently spoke the
old minister, "my congregation is waiting along the bank of the river
to see you start away and not a soul of them will enter the church until
you go, if it is not until dark to-night. And I wanted to ask if you
would start soon, so that I may begin services?"

The old man spoke with profound sincerity and his face brightened when
Boyton told him that preparations would be made for leaving at once. He
called down a benediction and joyfully departed for his little church,
the weather beaten side of which could be seen in a grove not far
distant. Paul immediately donned his dress and took to the water,
paddling a few miles down and hauling up on a muddy bank to wait until
it was time to start for Vicksburg. Though it was not so pleasant there
as it was on the cool porch of the planter's, and he had suffered much
from the heat, thoughts of the satisfied old minister did much to
lighten the discomforts of his surroundings.

He arrived in sight of Vicksburg at four o'clock in the afternoon and
was met by the steamer Silverthorn towing a big barge, loaded with
excursionists. It appeared as though the entire population of the town
and surrounding country had assembled on the river bank. So dense was
the crowd, that it caused a philosophical negro to remark:

"Ef dose yere people keep on a crowdin' on dis en' ob town, de whole
place are gwine fur to tip ober in de ribber, suah 'nough."

With the aid of the city marshal and a few policemen, Boyton got through
the crowd to a carriage in which the Mayor was awaiting him. As the
carriage was about to move off for the hotel, a man jumped in and seated
himself between the Captain and the Mayor. Paul did not think much of
the incident