the darky knew, from certain little signs he
had seen, that his life was not safe so long as he remained on board
that steamer. Tom had a horror of everything that related to gambling,
and he wanted to talk about something else.

"This boat is making pretty good time, isn't she?" he said, during a
pause in which the darky went back to his bench after his comb and
brush.

"Yes, sar. We don't touch anywhere till we get to Memphis, and we shall
reach there about----"

"What?" exclaimed Tom.

"Eh? Did you speak, sar?"

"Why, I want to go down the river," gasped Tom, who couldn't believe
that his ears were not deceiving him. "Memphis! That's up the river."

"Course it is, sar. And you are going dere as fast as you kin."

"Memphis!" exclaimed Tom.

He couldn't wait for the barber to get through with him, but, jumping
out from his hands, with the apron floating all about him, he ran to the
nearest window and looked out. He saw the trees dancing swiftly by, but
it was not to them that he devoted the most of his attention. The
current of the river was what drew his gaze. He took one look at it, at
the trees and stumps that covered the surface of the water which the
river managed to pick up in the low lands when it was high, and then
returned disconsolately to his chair. He didn't want to go to Memphis.
It was two thousand miles out of his way, and, besides, there were any
number of business men that knew him on the levee.

"You wanted to go to New Orleans, I take it," said the barber.

But Tom was done talking. He wanted to have his hair brushed as quickly
as possible, so that he might go to the office and settle with the
clerk; so the darky speedily put the finishing touches to it, received
twenty cents for his trouble, and Tom hurried out and in a few seconds
more was standing in front of the desk. He did not see much room when he
got there, for there was a big broad-shouldered man standing in front of
the desk, with his arms spread out over it, talking with the clerk; but
he stepped back to make space for Tom, and smiled so good-naturedly at
him over his bushy whiskers that the boy was satisfied that he had one
friend on the boat, if he didn't have another.

"Morning," said he. "Did the sight of that revolver scare you?"

"No, sir. But I got up just in time to find that I am bound up the
river. I didn't say which way I wanted to go, and the overseer at the
landing called me for the wrong boat."

"Well, you've