Part 22 (2/2)
”And lose it!” answered Jule. ”Not much! Give me a hand!”
Case and Clay both rushed to the boy's a.s.sistance, and with great effort a monster fish was landed in the mud. Jule was jubilant.
”The biggest catch of the trip!” he declared. ”Who says I can't produce a whale when I feel the need of a whole one fried?”
Case and Clay leaned back and screamed with amus.e.m.e.nt. Alex. looked on with a grin which was more provoking than the laughter of the others.
”Have all the fun you can,” roared Jule, ”but don't get gay!”
”Throw him back into the river!” Clay advised, poking at the catch.
”That is just a big catfish, and no one eats them save the negroes!
They're tougher than the tripe at Bill's restaurant, in Chicago!”
”I guess you won't throw him away!” yelled Jule.
”All right!” Clay answered. ”Take him to bed with you, if you want to, but kindly see if you can't get a ba.s.s for our dinner. There are plenty of them in here.”
Reluctantly Jule started the catfish back toward his natural element, and the big fellow seemed to thank him with a parting wave of his tail as he took to the water. In a few moments he had a fine large ba.s.s, weighing six or eight pounds, and before long Alex. had a couple of ducks, so work was suspended while dinner was cooked and eaten. After the meal the work was continued until Case declared there were enough willow mattresses on hand to float a city.
Then the mattresses were hauled alongside the _Rambler_ and a considerable part of the cargo of the boat was put out on them. Thus lightened, and having a strong footing, the lads had no difficulty in pus.h.i.+ng the _Rambler_ out into deep water.
”What shall we do with the mattresses now?” asked Clay, as the boat swung off the bottom. ”We have spent too much time on them to throw them away!”
”Tow them along,” advised Case. ”It won't cost us anything to tote them along, and we may have use for them. A man could build a tent on them, by fastening them together, and live there. I'm strong for taking them with us.”
This was finally agreed to, and the boys were about to start down the stream again when a shout from the Mississippi side of the river attracted their attention.
”There's that little c.o.o.n!” laughed Case. ”See the rascal! He's going to swim to the boat, or going to try to!”
”He never can do it,” Clay declared. ”We'll have to swing the _Rambler_ over that way and pick him up. He's making a swift run, though!”
”Well,” Alex. replied, ”just you look behind him and see what he's running from.”
Half a dozen negroes and one white man were now seen running down the river bank in pursuit of Mose. They seemed to redouble their exertions when the _Rambler_ shot over toward the boy, but were obliged to halt when the boy was picked up and the boat went on down stream, towing the willow mattresses in her wake!
Mose dropped down on deck, panting and rolling his eyes.
”Ah'm scared white!” he chattered. ”Fo' de Lawd, dat's de man what trun dis c.o.o.n an' Captain Joe into the ribber up no'th! Ah's scared of him!”
CHAPTER XVIII
SWEPT INTO A SWAMP
”Who threw you and Captain Joe into the river, up north?” demanded Jule. ”Wake up and tell us what's the matter with you. What were those people chasing you for?”
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