man, did I not hear you
name the destination of your party as the Ohio?"

"I so stated."

"Then let me warn you, friend," he crossed his legs more comfortably,
resting back at ease, "that what you propose may not prove so easy as
you dream. The Amalekites and heathen, together with the worshippers
of Baal, are everywhere along the upper waters. By the memory of Old
Noll, I have seen more black-faced papists in the past two weeks than I
ever before laid eyes on."

"You do not enjoy the prospect of a fight?"

"Nay; it is not that, friend. I am, indeed, a preacher of
righteousness, a man of peace, yet I might, upon occasion, strike right
lustily for the Lord and Gideon. I am not altogether unaccustomed to
feeling carnal weapons of strife, but with yonder fair specimen of
womanhood in our care, I should not deem it best to force a struggle,
provided passage might be secured through other means."

"Have you some plan?"

"Nay; it has not been revealed unto me, although I besought it of the
Lord with great earnestness after the morning meal. I will again
wrestle in prayer before the throne, and no doubt it shall all be made
plain in due season, if we faint not."

"I take it, then, you propose forming one of our company?"

"Such seemeth the will of the Lord," he responded soberly, "and I ever
hearken unto His voice. Thou didst state there would be plenty of
food, so I abide with you."

CHAPTER XIV

THE MOUTH OF THE ARKANSAS

I do not recall how many leagues we pushed our way up the stream, nor
could I name the length of time required for our journey, before we
arrived where a large river, bearing a muddier current, led toward the
north and west. Those were neither days nor miles that imprinted
themselves on memory; they left only vague impressions, as one
sometimes beholds objects through the dense haze of early morning. I
remember merely the low, flat line of shore, stretching away to a
darker green of the heavy forest behind, and the ever-moving flood of
changeless water, no sign of life appearing along its surface.

Nor was there any happening within our boat to reflect upon, excepting
that our new comrade proved himself a stanch man at the oars, thus
commending himself to me, in spite of a choleric temper apt to burst
forth over trifles. He and De Noyan would have quarrelled many times a
day, only neither comprehended the language of the other. The greatest
cause I found for criticism was hi