ong will it take me to reach
Lewisburg?"

"'Ts owin' ter how fas' yo' travel."

"How long does it take you to go?"

"I don't never go."

"How long did it take you to come from there?"

"Tuk me right smart while; but the team broke down."

"Confound it. Do you know what I think of you?"

"Nothin' thet ud spite my appytite."

"I think you are the blamdest fool in Arkansaw."

"Know what I think o' yo'?"

"What?"

"Thet yo're the devil come up ter cool himself off."

The fellow deliberately entered the cabin and closed the door, and Paul
luckily struck the channel around the island.

The Arkansas river cuts under its banks much after the manner of the
Missouri. Several places were seen where they had been undermined and
sunk carrying sheep down that had been grazing near the edge, leaving
the poor things hemmed in on one side by high banks and on the other by
water. There they would starve rather than take to the river to get out.
Whenever Boyton ran across such places, he would either drive the sheep
off or tell some one below to go up and get them.

Four days from the time of starting, he ran into Little Rock, the State
capital, where he was pleasantly entertained. When the voyage was
resumed, he was accompanied by Opie Read, the famous humorist, who
enjoyed the river experience. They amused themselves during the day with
the negroes, many of whom thought Boyton was a drowning man floating
along. They would run close to the water's edge and yell at Read, who
was pulling leisurely behind in a row boat.

"Hyah, man. Doan yo' see dat ar man drownen? G'on an pick him up."

"Not much, I wont pick him up." Opie shouted, "I'm going to let him
drown."

"Hi, Eph; git yo' boat. Drownen man in de ribber. Spec he done drownded
now," excitedly yelled one old auntie to a broad shouldered darkey who
was running to the bank. Then as both boat and Boyton swept by, they
could hear her say: "Dere's de onliest man ebber I see dat'll let a
fellah human drownd afore his eyes. Him de wickedest man in de worl'."

One old negro with an armful of ear corn, dropped it with a look of
horror and stood as if petrified, as far as the voyagers could see him.

Below Little Rock as night came on, a small steamer was encountered tied
up to the bank and Paul and his companion spent the night aboard of
her. It was that night that Boyton succumbed to something worse than
rapids, quicks