lleon" had also been supplied
with fishing tackle, and in a short time they caught a splendid supply of
black bass and perch, which proved to be very fine and toothsome. As their
boat floated back from the smaller stream into the Mississippi, Shif'less
Sol heaved a deep sigh.

"What's the matter, Sol?" asked Paul.

"I wuz thinkin' o' Christopher Columbus," replied Shif'less Sol. "Ef it
wuzn't that I'd be dead now, I wish I'd been with him. I do enjoy sailin'
on an' discoverin' lands an' waters that ain't yet got no name to 'em. It
looks funny to me that we wuzn't discovered sooner, when we've always been
here, but Columbus has all my respeck an' admiration 'cause he done it
when the others didn't."

"That shorely wuz a man," said Tom Ross, his eyes lighting up. "I've heard
the tale how he kep' tryin' an' tryin' to git a ship, an' couldn't, an'
at last the Spanish lady pulled off her earrings an' finger rings an'
bracelets an' said: 'Here, Chris, these, these are my jewels, take 'em,
trade 'em fur the best ship thar is in the market, an' discover Ameriky.'
An' then he got his ship, an' kep' sailin' on an' on, an' the sailors they
began to git skeered an' then more skeered. They're afraid they're goin'
to drop off on the other side uv the world an' they go to Chris an' say:
'Thar ain't no sech continent ez Ameriky an' we ain't goin' to discover
it. We're goin' to turn right 'round an' go straight back to Spain.'

"Chris says in the knowin'est manner like a father talkin' to his child.
'Thar is sech a continent ez Ameriky, an' it's a big one, too. It's layin'
over thar straight to the west, an' it's full uv big lakes an' big rivers
an' big mountains an' red Injuns that fight with bows an' arrers, and
b'ars an' buffalers an' deer an' panthers an' all things fine, jest
waitin' fur us. Thar's whar we're goin'.' And the sailors say more uppish
than ever: No, we ain't, we ain't goin' to discover Ameriky, thar ain't no
sech place, we're goin' right back to Spain.' Then a kinder funny look
comes into Chris's eye. He reaches fur his long rifle, an' he draws a bead
on the foremost uv them sailors, the feller that speaks fur 'em all, an'
he says, droppin' that fatherly manner an' speakin' up sharp an' snappy:
'I reckin we're either goin' to discover Ameriky, or go right back to
Spain, which is it?'

"An' that foremost sailor, the one that speaks fur 'em all, sees the funny
look in Chris's eye, an' he thinks, too, he kin see clea