deserved to get off that time."

"Bad luck till 'em," grumbled the other, "jumpin' aboord a gentleman's
boat like that, and turnin' iverything topsy-turvy, so that ye don't
know where ye kin foind a place to slape at all."

"Oh! anything will do for the rest of the night. But you lie down,
Jimmie. It was just about time to call me anyhow, and I'll take my
turn on duty," saying which Jack started to arrange his blanket half
way decently, so that later on he could crawl under it again.

The balance of the night passed without further alarm. With the coming
of the morning both boys were astir. Jack anxious to complete his
little job at the engine, and Jimmie, of course, just as desirous of
attending to the vigorous demands of the inner man.

Promptly at eight the start was made, for they were to have a great
trip that day, unless some unexpected trouble arose to alter their
plans.

The current of the river was now very manifest. Jack even ventured out
further upon the vast flood than at any previous time, wishing to get
all the advantage possible, so as to make Cairo before the hour came to
haul in. Both of them noticed a vast difference in their progress.
Even if the current were only a mile an hour faster there than close to
the shore, that must count considerably in their favor during the day.

"It's moighty foine ridin' out here this way, I'm thinkin'," remarked
Jimmie, after they had been booming along for several hours on the
swift tide, with the little engine doing its prettiest all the while.

"You're right," replied Jack, "though I'd just hate to have any
accident happen while it lasts. We're a long ways from shore, Jimmie,
remember."

"But the swimmin's foine, by the same token," was the immediate
response of the ready-witted Irish lad, who never took trouble by the
forelock, believing there was always time enough for worrying after
things had happened.

As had become their habit, they ate a cold lunch at noon, though Jimmie
hinted broadly that it might pay them to pull in closer to the shore,
and anchor, while he made a pot of coffee.

The afternoon began to wane as they came in sight of Cairo on its low
point of land at the junction of the two great streams.

"My sowl, whativer becomes of all the wather?" exclaimed Jimmie, as
they passed the mouth of the Ohio, and could see the great flood of
turgid water that was pouring into the Mississippi, there having
evidently been something of a rain