we came to the mouth of the Illinois,
and turned our bow cautiously up that stream, becoming immediately
aware that we had entered new waters. The negro, ignorant of what was
before us, soon beached the boat onto a sand bar, and we decided it
would be better for us to remain there until dawn. This was not long
in coming, the graying sky of the east slowly lighting up the scene,
and bringing into view, little by little, our immediate surroundings.
These were lonely and dismal enough, yet revealed nothing to create
alarm. A desolate flat of sand extended from either shore back to a
high ridge of clay, which was thickly wooded. Slightly higher up the
river this ridge approached more closely the bank of the stream, with
trees actually overhanging the water, and a rather thick growth of
underbrush hiding the ground. The river was muddy, flowing with a
swift current, and we could distinguish its course only so far as the
first bend, a comparatively short distance away. Nowhere appeared the
slightest evidence of life, either on water or land; all was forlorn
and dead, a vista of utter desolation. Sam was standing up, his whole
attention concentrated on the view up stream.

"Do steamers ever go up this river?" I asked, surprised at the volume
of water.

He glanced around at me, as though startled at my voice.

"Yas, sah; putty near eny sorter boat kin. Ah nebber tried it, fer
Massa Donaldson hed no bus'ness ober in dis kintry, but Ah's heerd 'em
talk down ter Saint Louee. Trouble is, sah, we's got started in de
wrong place--dar's plenty watah t'other side dis yere bar."

"Who told you the best way to find Shrunk?"

His eyes widened and searched my face, evidently still somewhat
suspicious of any white man.

"A nigger down Saint Louee way, sah. Dey done cotched him, an' brought
him back afore he even got ter Beardstown."

"And you believe you can guide us there?"

"Ah sure can, if whut dat nigger sed wus correct, sah. Ah done
questioned him mighty par'ticlar, an' Ah 'members ebery sign whut he
giv' me." He grinned broadly. "Ah sorter suspicion'd Ah mought need
dat informa'ion."

"All right, then; it is certainly light enough now--let's push off."

We had taken the sand lightly, and were able to pole the boat into deep
water with no great difficulty. I remained crouched at the bow, ready
for any emergency, while the engine resumed its chugging, and Sam
guided us out toward the swifter current of the str