gloom of the hour, and came aft to talk with me. I
saw that it would be necessary to keep him busy, in order to save him
from his own reflections, and the dulness which was sure to follow.
There was work enough on the raft to keep us both employed, and he was
in no danger of dying from inaction.

"Are you going to keep her a-going all night, Buck?" asked he, in a tone
so loud that it seemed to reverberate over the broad prairies which
bounded the river.

"Hush, Sim! Don't talk so loud," I replied, in a whisper. "You will keep
Flora awake if you do."

"Hookie! I didn't think of her," said he, slapping his great fist over
his mouth, in token of his intention to do better.

"We shall keep moving, night and day, Sim."

"Are you always going to set up all night?" he whispered.

"No; you must do it half the time. You must learn to steer, and you may
as well begin now."

"But I don't know how."

"You must learn."

"I don't think I can. I ain't much at anything except hard work."

"Take the oar, Sim, and try your hand at it. I had to learn, and you
must do the same."

He took hold of the oar with me, while I, in a low tone, explained to
him how to manage it. I then left it to his care. As I expected, he
permitted the raft to whirl around.

"I told you I couldn't do it," said he, in disgust.

"Keep trying. When you see her head going one way, put the oar in the
same direction. Don't wait till she is half round, but take her when she
first begins to wabble," I added, assisting him to get the raft into
position again.

But Sim did better than I had anticipated, and in half an hour he
declared that he had "got the knack of the thing." I watched him for a
while, until I had entire confidence in his ability. He was not so wide
awake as he had been earlier in the night, and some fearful gapes
suggested what he needed most. I had fixed up a bed for him on the floor
of the house, and I found that he was quite willing to turn in when I
gave him permission to do so. His excitement had died out suddenly; but
I had no doubt of his zeal when the time for the hard work should come.

I was not sleepy, or even tired, myself; and hour after hour, till the
daylight came, I stood at my post, solitary and alone, busy with
thoughts of the present and the future. The steering of the raft was
merely mechanical, after I became accustomed to it. I was glad to see
the morning light, and to hear the song of the spring birds. The sun
ro